We talked this past week about letting God be in control; we can trust Him to guide us. Sometimes I see songs that are a little out of the ordinary, but they seem to fit our studies. This song speaks of "letting go" and accepting His offer of "one more chance."
She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati
On a snow white Christmas Eve
Going home to see her Mama and her Daddy with the baby in the backseat
Fifty miles to go and she was running low on faith and gasoline
It'd been a long hard year
She had a lot on her mind and she didn't pay attention
She was going way too fast
Before she knew it she was spinning on a thin black sheet of glass
She saw both their lives flash before her eyes
She didn't even have time to cry
She was so scared
She threw her hands up in the air
Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
Jesus take the wheel
It was still getting colder when she made it to the shoulder
And the car came to a stop
She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat sleeping like a rock
And for the first time in a long time
She bowed her head to pray
She said I'm sorry for the way
I've been living my life
I know I've got to change
So from now on tonight
Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
Oh, Jesus take the wheel
Friday, February 28, 2014
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Work -- is it a "four letter word"?
Remember I said there was a lot packed into this chapter?
Let's go back and look at this verse:
In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” John 5:17Sometimes we parents ask our kiddos, "What do you want to do (be) when you grow up?" And we encourage them to seek their passion, to do what brings them joy.
That's all well and good. But it doesn't necessarily follow that every adult will have a job that makes them bounce out of bed each morning, grinning about going to work that day! It's a fact, though, that work is something that we do, in order to provide for ourselves and our families, to witness to others, and to give God glory. Now, those are things we can find joy in, even if we find our job to sometimes be a chore!
How we think about work, our work ethic, is important.
The mentality to work cheerfully is a very good thing -- our God worked in the beginning of time as we know it. He worked and created the stars and planets, the earth and all the plants and animals on it. Of course, we can assume that it was not hard work, since He is Almighty and all-powerful! But He was pleased to work, and give us that good example. He put a lot of Himself into His work, didn't He? (Grin) After all, we are made in His image!
We can find a wonderful example of a work ethic, and how we should adjust our attitudes toward work, in Paul's letter to the church at Thessalonica:
II Thessalonians 3:6-10 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.What a tremendous example! How in the world can we hope to do that?
One key to that is the realization that we are serving our Lord and our fellow man in some way or another. Regardless of what we are doing, we can give the best service possible. We can give our best in everything.
Another key to accomplishing our work in the way Paul spoke, is to always be considerate of others.
Peter told us:
I Peter 3:8-9 “Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”This scripture tells us how Christians should treat one another, but in reality, we should treat all people this way: in harmony, sympathetic, compassionate, humble, and not seeking vengeance. Trying to combat evil with evil never pays.The point of I Peter 3 is that we should work with people and not against them. We should work together as a team and caring for one another at the same time. The work place is always better when people are considerate of one another.
The last key is to remember Who we are working for . . . we are to:
"obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:22-24We all believe our Lord is our real boss in life, or at least He is supposed to be. He is the giver of every good gift, and the ultimate gift, eternal life. We should be listening to Him and trying to do what He would have us do.
There used to be a lot of cars on the road with bumper stickers that read "Jesus is my co-pilot." It always made me think, and I wondered why it didn't say, "Jesus is my Pilot." If He is our co-pilot, that means we turn over the controls to Him when we are tired, or when we want to take a break. But shouldn't He have the controls all the time? He does a much better job at charting our course than we can do!
Sometimes we may take a wrong turn, or do the wrong thing. We might be frustrated and forget that we are serving our Lord and one another. We might not take the time to be considerate. We might even forget Who our boss is. And work becomes a terrible four letter word . . . no joy, no fun.
On the other hand, we might be able to do our work with a grin instead of a groan, if we follow these rules from the Word. I know I need to follow these rules more closely -- how about you?
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Many witnesses
When we paused on Monday, we had seen the crowd of Pharisees and their followers listening to Jesus and getting more upset by the minute. But Jesus had authority to speak as He did, right? Well, we know He did, but He needed to "prove" it to all of them . . .
You see, in the Law, the testimony of two or three witnesses was needed to settle a matter. Nothing could be decided unless you had witnesses.
Jesus was telling these people that He had four witnesses -- more than what was required in the Law.
So He established that His claims were real:
The first witness was John the Baptist. Jesus said, "You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth." By this time, it was common knowledge that John, whose popularity had grown and then had diminished with the arrival of Jesus, had put his stamp of approval on Jesus. He said that Jesus was the Messiah they were waiting for; he called Him the Lamb of God. This was the Man that John had prepared the way for.
Next, Jesus said, "I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me." (John 5:36) Wow. What work is He talking about here? As they would say in a court of law, here was exhibit number one: the paralytic man, who now was healed. They all knew who he was, and that he'd been crippled for thirty-eight years, but now he was standing right there, hale and healthy. The very fact that Jesus had healed him was a proof that God had sent Him.
Thirdly, Jesus said, " the Father who sent me has testified Himself concerning me." (John 5:37) Remember when John the Baptist and Jesus were in the water? When Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened up and the Spirit of God came down in the form of a dove. The Father declared, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17)
Jesus had a fourth witness, too. He had more than He needed, more than the Law required. "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me." (John 5:39)
Over the course of His life and ministry, Jesus would fulfill over three hundred Old Testament prophecies. No other being, either before Him or after Him, has ever fulfilled even a fraction of these prophecies. These were like Jesus' personal calling cards -- they proved He was who He claimed to be.
Over and over in John's gospel, we will see that Jesus fulfilled or exceeded the Law; He offered more witnesses here than He was required to. He proved that He was who He claimed. Now, that doesn't mean that everyone believed Him.
You see, in the Law, the testimony of two or three witnesses was needed to settle a matter. Nothing could be decided unless you had witnesses.
Jesus was telling these people that He had four witnesses -- more than what was required in the Law.
So He established that His claims were real:
The first witness was John the Baptist. Jesus said, "You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth." By this time, it was common knowledge that John, whose popularity had grown and then had diminished with the arrival of Jesus, had put his stamp of approval on Jesus. He said that Jesus was the Messiah they were waiting for; he called Him the Lamb of God. This was the Man that John had prepared the way for.
Thirdly, Jesus said, " the Father who sent me has testified Himself concerning me." (John 5:37) Remember when John the Baptist and Jesus were in the water? When Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened up and the Spirit of God came down in the form of a dove. The Father declared, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17)
Jesus had a fourth witness, too. He had more than He needed, more than the Law required. "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me." (John 5:39)
Over the course of His life and ministry, Jesus would fulfill over three hundred Old Testament prophecies. No other being, either before Him or after Him, has ever fulfilled even a fraction of these prophecies. These were like Jesus' personal calling cards -- they proved He was who He claimed to be.
Over and over in John's gospel, we will see that Jesus fulfilled or exceeded the Law; He offered more witnesses here than He was required to. He proved that He was who He claimed. Now, that doesn't mean that everyone believed Him.
yet you refuse to come to me to have life.“I do not accept glory from human beings, but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; ( John 5:40-43a)How sad that they would not accept Him and His gift of life. How wonderful that some did, and their lives were changed -- as ours can be, when we accept Him!
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Verses that mean so much to us
This week I'd like to invite all of our readers to take just a moment to leave a comment on this post in particular. Many times we study our Bible and find gems from God that truly bless and inspire us; we may find "just the right" verse to help us through a difficult situation.
Won't you share with us, if you have found a verse or passage to be helpful in the past week or two? You never know who might really need that verse or insight that you share . . .
This passage helped me recently; perhaps someone else needs to read this, too:
I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. I Timothy 1:12-17Won't you leave a comment today, with a verse that has meant a great deal to you? One that has given you a blessing?
Monday, February 24, 2014
John 5, continued
Making the most of a situation . . .
You've heard that phrase before, right? I'd like for you to read the whole rest of the chapter we are in. Go ahead. It's the fifth chapter of the gospel of John.
We'll wait right here . . .
When we last studied together, we were witness to the miracle of the paralytic man, healed by Jesus, who picked up his mat and walked away from the pool of Bethesda.
The rest of the chapter is so packed full of good stuff that we'll stop and rest a while, and then move a little further on, and keep going and going!
Remember in the eighth verse, Jesus told the man to "get up and walk"?
Gotcha!
He actually told him to "pick up your mat and walk." Have you wondered why? It wasn't because it was necessary to clean up around the pool for the upcoming festival. (Grin)
Jesus was actually getting the attention of the people. Two groups of people, in reality. We've talked about how he got the attention of the common people, who had seen this man for years, and they knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was crippled. There was no question that he was healed when they saw him pick up his mat and walk away!
The other group of people was the legalistic bunch known as the Pharisees. They were to be at the receiving end of Jesus' anger more than just once. And they deserved it! We'll talk more about why they deserved it in some other passages. So how is He getting their attention?
Well, it was the Sabbath.
And the Pharisees were all wrapped up in "can't do this, can't do that" on the Sabbath. They made a list of thirty-nine types of activities that could NOT be done on the Sabbath. Notice the operative word there . . . THEY made the list. The fourth commandment simply said people should not work on the Sabbath day, but honor it; that God rested on the day. The Pharisees took it much further -- they called their rules "the traditions of the elders" and many times the rules became more important than the Word of God itself.
That's why they had such a difficult time understanding Jesus. Not only were they doing the wrong things, but they were guiding other people to do the wrong things. They trusted God would bring them a Messiah, but their religion was really about behavior. They had hundreds of strict rules about how to behave.
A large crowd of people came with the Pharisees, who were very upset that Jesus had told the man to pick up his mat and walk. Jesus knew they would . . .
He made the most of the situation by preaching to them. He introduces Himself, and many in the crowd become angry when He clearly implies that He is divine. John 5:18 says that the crowd who listened became angry because "He was even calling God His own father, and making Himself equal with God."
Then Jesus goes a step further and declares:
We'll continue this on Wednesday.
You've heard that phrase before, right? I'd like for you to read the whole rest of the chapter we are in. Go ahead. It's the fifth chapter of the gospel of John.
We'll wait right here . . .
When we last studied together, we were witness to the miracle of the paralytic man, healed by Jesus, who picked up his mat and walked away from the pool of Bethesda.
The rest of the chapter is so packed full of good stuff that we'll stop and rest a while, and then move a little further on, and keep going and going!
Remember in the eighth verse, Jesus told the man to "get up and walk"?
Gotcha!
He actually told him to "pick up your mat and walk." Have you wondered why? It wasn't because it was necessary to clean up around the pool for the upcoming festival. (Grin)
Jesus was actually getting the attention of the people. Two groups of people, in reality. We've talked about how he got the attention of the common people, who had seen this man for years, and they knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was crippled. There was no question that he was healed when they saw him pick up his mat and walk away!
The other group of people was the legalistic bunch known as the Pharisees. They were to be at the receiving end of Jesus' anger more than just once. And they deserved it! We'll talk more about why they deserved it in some other passages. So how is He getting their attention?
Well, it was the Sabbath.
And the Pharisees were all wrapped up in "can't do this, can't do that" on the Sabbath. They made a list of thirty-nine types of activities that could NOT be done on the Sabbath. Notice the operative word there . . . THEY made the list. The fourth commandment simply said people should not work on the Sabbath day, but honor it; that God rested on the day. The Pharisees took it much further -- they called their rules "the traditions of the elders" and many times the rules became more important than the Word of God itself.
That's why they had such a difficult time understanding Jesus. Not only were they doing the wrong things, but they were guiding other people to do the wrong things. They trusted God would bring them a Messiah, but their religion was really about behavior. They had hundreds of strict rules about how to behave.
A large crowd of people came with the Pharisees, who were very upset that Jesus had told the man to pick up his mat and walk. Jesus knew they would . . .
He made the most of the situation by preaching to them. He introduces Himself, and many in the crowd become angry when He clearly implies that He is divine. John 5:18 says that the crowd who listened became angry because "He was even calling God His own father, and making Himself equal with God."
Then Jesus goes a step further and declares:
“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. Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. John 5:24-25So now it's time for Him to show His credentials, so to speak. And that is just what He does.
We'll continue this on Wednesday.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Friday slowdown
I felt this old hymn of our faith was just right for this week's study. I hope you will start the video, then close your eyes and prayerfully listen. There's no need to see the singers, just meditate on the words of the hymn. I hope it's a blessing to all.
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I'll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
'Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father's ears no other name but Thine.
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I'll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
'Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father's ears no other name but Thine.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
John 5:1-9 Walk with me again
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
Our story continues . . .
Ephraim! Ephraim! My old friend, are you still awake? Yes, yes, it is I, your companion of childhood, Daniel. I have traveled all day from the village, along the dusty roads to reach Jerusalem.
Ah, many thanks, my friend, for opening your door. Yes, a draught of water would be welcome. I am indeed parched. I am not as young as I used to be, and the trip was strenuous.
I must tell you, Ephraim, what has been happening in the village. Do you recall the other day, when we passed by the pool of Bethesda? I mentioned to you that a cousin of Miriam's was there at the pool -- had been for many years.You will never believe this, Ephraim -- he is healed!
Yes, I see you are astonished, as was I! Yet it is true! Amariah (that is his name) is there in the village, and he can walk and stand and sit just as well as any other healthy man! (You know, Ephraim, that his name means "Yahweh has said" and I'll tell you more about that in a minute.)
Amariah told us the most amazing story -- he says that a certain Jesus, a Nazarene, born into an humble family and trained in carpentry, came to the pool that same day that we walked by. He must have been there for the festival. Anyway, He was told about Amariah, about how he was paralytic and had been there for so long . . . and He looked down at him and said, "Do you want to get well?" Can you imagine asking someone at the pool of Bethesda that question? Well, of course, Amariah wanted to get well, and he explained to this Jesus (and His disciples, who were standing there with Him) that he had no way of getting to the water if the angel stirred it up.
Do you know what happened then, Ephraim? Well, of course you don't -- this Jesus looked at Amariah and told him to get up! And to top it all off, He said to pick up his mat, and walk! The way I hear it, everyone who heard gasped in surprise, for they all knew Amariah had been unable to move on his own for years!
But this is the amazing part -- Amariah said he felt an incredible feeling all through his body -- he suddenly had the energy of a youth -- and he reached down and put his hands on the stone floor and raised himself up! And then he rolled up his mat, placed it over his shoulder, and walked!
He says he felt like kicking up his heels and dancing, but he walked as he had been told. He didn't stop walking until he reached the village, and then he began to tell everyone his story.
Oy! The house has been full of people and chatter and feasting! The rabbi came and verified that he was really our cousin Amariah, and that he'd been healed. (Our rabbi says that it is significant that Amariah's name is "Yahweh has said" for that is what happened . . . this Jesus had only to speak, and he was healed!)
You should hear the stories that have been told around our humble table: stories of how this same Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding festival, and how he was baptized by John the Baptist, and many saw a dove that came and landed on his shoulder, as if it came from heaven. Some people say that it's whispered that his mother, Mary, was pregnant before her marriage to Joseph, and that her cousin Elizabeth said it was the Spirit of God that overshadowed her and she conceived.
Oh, Ephraim! Old friend, I am convinced that Jesus is the Messiah that the rabbi told us about, in our classes as young boys in the village. Surely you are not so wealthy and worldly that you do not remember our lessons! The prophets foretold that our Savior would be born of a virgin, and that He would do many signs and wonders. Come with me and see Him. Come away from Jerusalem, to the places where He preaches and teaches the throngs of people who come to hear Him. I've heard that the Pharisees do not like Him, but I will not let that stop me! I want to hear more from the One who healed Amariah; He may be the One that was promised. The One who will save us, whose mercy endureth forever!
It may be, Ephraim, that this One, Jesus, is the all-powerful Savior -- far more powerful than the water of the pool of Bethesda . . .
“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
Our story continues . . .
Ephraim! Ephraim! My old friend, are you still awake? Yes, yes, it is I, your companion of childhood, Daniel. I have traveled all day from the village, along the dusty roads to reach Jerusalem.
Ah, many thanks, my friend, for opening your door. Yes, a draught of water would be welcome. I am indeed parched. I am not as young as I used to be, and the trip was strenuous.
I must tell you, Ephraim, what has been happening in the village. Do you recall the other day, when we passed by the pool of Bethesda? I mentioned to you that a cousin of Miriam's was there at the pool -- had been for many years.You will never believe this, Ephraim -- he is healed!
Yes, I see you are astonished, as was I! Yet it is true! Amariah (that is his name) is there in the village, and he can walk and stand and sit just as well as any other healthy man! (You know, Ephraim, that his name means "Yahweh has said" and I'll tell you more about that in a minute.)
Amariah told us the most amazing story -- he says that a certain Jesus, a Nazarene, born into an humble family and trained in carpentry, came to the pool that same day that we walked by. He must have been there for the festival. Anyway, He was told about Amariah, about how he was paralytic and had been there for so long . . . and He looked down at him and said, "Do you want to get well?" Can you imagine asking someone at the pool of Bethesda that question? Well, of course, Amariah wanted to get well, and he explained to this Jesus (and His disciples, who were standing there with Him) that he had no way of getting to the water if the angel stirred it up.
Do you know what happened then, Ephraim? Well, of course you don't -- this Jesus looked at Amariah and told him to get up! And to top it all off, He said to pick up his mat, and walk! The way I hear it, everyone who heard gasped in surprise, for they all knew Amariah had been unable to move on his own for years!
But this is the amazing part -- Amariah said he felt an incredible feeling all through his body -- he suddenly had the energy of a youth -- and he reached down and put his hands on the stone floor and raised himself up! And then he rolled up his mat, placed it over his shoulder, and walked!
He says he felt like kicking up his heels and dancing, but he walked as he had been told. He didn't stop walking until he reached the village, and then he began to tell everyone his story.
Oy! The house has been full of people and chatter and feasting! The rabbi came and verified that he was really our cousin Amariah, and that he'd been healed. (Our rabbi says that it is significant that Amariah's name is "Yahweh has said" for that is what happened . . . this Jesus had only to speak, and he was healed!)
You should hear the stories that have been told around our humble table: stories of how this same Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding festival, and how he was baptized by John the Baptist, and many saw a dove that came and landed on his shoulder, as if it came from heaven. Some people say that it's whispered that his mother, Mary, was pregnant before her marriage to Joseph, and that her cousin Elizabeth said it was the Spirit of God that overshadowed her and she conceived.
Oh, Ephraim! Old friend, I am convinced that Jesus is the Messiah that the rabbi told us about, in our classes as young boys in the village. Surely you are not so wealthy and worldly that you do not remember our lessons! The prophets foretold that our Savior would be born of a virgin, and that He would do many signs and wonders. Come with me and see Him. Come away from Jerusalem, to the places where He preaches and teaches the throngs of people who come to hear Him. I've heard that the Pharisees do not like Him, but I will not let that stop me! I want to hear more from the One who healed Amariah; He may be the One that was promised. The One who will save us, whose mercy endureth forever!
It may be, Ephraim, that this One, Jesus, is the all-powerful Savior -- far more powerful than the water of the pool of Bethesda . . .
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
John 5:1-9 Pick up your mat and walk
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,”
the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the
water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down
ahead of me.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
Did you know that for a long time, the Pool of Bethesda was believed to be just a myth? No one in the archeological circles thought it was real. In 1888, it was uncovered, just where John tells us it is located. The name Bethesda (or Bethsaida) means "House of Mercy."
Sometimes we take for granted that Jesus showed compassion and authority by healing. It no longer amazes us that withered limbs are muscular and rosy with sun, that blind eyes are blinking in the sunlight, taking in the face of Him who created our world. But this story should amaze us. It should pull us in and engage us, and teach us. Let's dig in!
Jesus and his disciples are in Jerusalem for a festival. The streets are crowded with revelers and worshipers, but no less crowded is the site known as Bethesda. Jesus makes his way there, and his focus is on one man -- a paralytic, who has been an invalid for thirty-eight years. We can guess that everyone knew him, for he'd been hoping to be the first into the water for quite some time. They probably knew his name, and perhaps whispered about the circumstances of his infirmity. Amidst the hundreds of sick and disabled people around that pool, Jesus zeroes in on just one.
Have you ever wondered about that? He could have spoken, and all of them would be healed. In the other gospels we read that many people were healed. Why just one? Some of the commentaries that I've read have suggested that Jesus was relatively unknown to the crowd here; it was still in the first year of His ministry. Others have mentioned that after this man was healed, many of these people who witnessed it, would leave the pool and follow the One who had healed someone they thought had no hope. Still others say that by choosing this particular man, He chose someone who everyone knew -- there would be no question of whether or not he was truly incapacitated, or whether or not Jesus truly healed him.
Have you ever attended or watched a broadcast of a show, and doubted it's authenticity? Have you watched someone who says they are healing people, and wondered if it is real? Do you view the wrestling on television with skepticism, thinking that it is faked, and even staged?
I believe that is why Jesus chose that man. Everyone would have known that there was no way the paralytic could have sat up, then stood up, then rolled up his mat, hoisted it onto his shoulder, and walked away from the pool of Bethesda. No way. No how. They had seen that he needed friends or others who had compassion on him, to be carried from place to place. Could he have pushed and shoved and jostled his way onto the prime real estate at the pool's edge? Was he a fake? Was this event choreographed?
Nope. This was totally, completely, an act of God; it was a miracle.
It's ironic that the name of the pool was the House of Mercy . . . for it was simply whoever could shove and push more strongly and be the first into the water, that meant that person would be healed. But Jesus made this place truly a house of mercy, by looking on this man with compassion, and healing him. We'll see that they meet once more after this, and Jesus alludes to the wrong choice, the sin that landed the paralytic in his hopeless situation many years before. But for now, let's focus on the mercy and the power of our Lord.
He speaks and we are healed. Our sins are forgiven, our wounds are gone. We are released from bondage into freedom and peace.
Many people in this world are waiting beside their own pool of Bethesda. It's their own situation, their own plan that they think will heal them of the heartaches of this life. They believe that if they can just be strong enough, smart enough, wealthy enough -- they'll be able to fix everything that is wrong in their lives. On their own. They don't, after all, need anyone else.
Just like the people who crowded around the pool of Bethesda, they vainly believe that their plan will bring the hope and change that they are longing for. After many years, they may realize that their plan isn't working, and they are left with pain, and hopelessness. The choices they have made and the sins they have committed have trapped them. All because they are looking at their own little pool, instead of looking at the fountain that flows from Christ: forgiveness of sin, healing of lives and peace for the future.
Praise the Lamb, who says to us, "Pick up your mat and walk!"
Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
Did you know that for a long time, the Pool of Bethesda was believed to be just a myth? No one in the archeological circles thought it was real. In 1888, it was uncovered, just where John tells us it is located. The name Bethesda (or Bethsaida) means "House of Mercy."
Sometimes we take for granted that Jesus showed compassion and authority by healing. It no longer amazes us that withered limbs are muscular and rosy with sun, that blind eyes are blinking in the sunlight, taking in the face of Him who created our world. But this story should amaze us. It should pull us in and engage us, and teach us. Let's dig in!
Jesus and his disciples are in Jerusalem for a festival. The streets are crowded with revelers and worshipers, but no less crowded is the site known as Bethesda. Jesus makes his way there, and his focus is on one man -- a paralytic, who has been an invalid for thirty-eight years. We can guess that everyone knew him, for he'd been hoping to be the first into the water for quite some time. They probably knew his name, and perhaps whispered about the circumstances of his infirmity. Amidst the hundreds of sick and disabled people around that pool, Jesus zeroes in on just one.
Have you ever wondered about that? He could have spoken, and all of them would be healed. In the other gospels we read that many people were healed. Why just one? Some of the commentaries that I've read have suggested that Jesus was relatively unknown to the crowd here; it was still in the first year of His ministry. Others have mentioned that after this man was healed, many of these people who witnessed it, would leave the pool and follow the One who had healed someone they thought had no hope. Still others say that by choosing this particular man, He chose someone who everyone knew -- there would be no question of whether or not he was truly incapacitated, or whether or not Jesus truly healed him.
Have you ever attended or watched a broadcast of a show, and doubted it's authenticity? Have you watched someone who says they are healing people, and wondered if it is real? Do you view the wrestling on television with skepticism, thinking that it is faked, and even staged?
I believe that is why Jesus chose that man. Everyone would have known that there was no way the paralytic could have sat up, then stood up, then rolled up his mat, hoisted it onto his shoulder, and walked away from the pool of Bethesda. No way. No how. They had seen that he needed friends or others who had compassion on him, to be carried from place to place. Could he have pushed and shoved and jostled his way onto the prime real estate at the pool's edge? Was he a fake? Was this event choreographed?
Nope. This was totally, completely, an act of God; it was a miracle.
It's ironic that the name of the pool was the House of Mercy . . . for it was simply whoever could shove and push more strongly and be the first into the water, that meant that person would be healed. But Jesus made this place truly a house of mercy, by looking on this man with compassion, and healing him. We'll see that they meet once more after this, and Jesus alludes to the wrong choice, the sin that landed the paralytic in his hopeless situation many years before. But for now, let's focus on the mercy and the power of our Lord.
He speaks and we are healed. Our sins are forgiven, our wounds are gone. We are released from bondage into freedom and peace.
Many people in this world are waiting beside their own pool of Bethesda. It's their own situation, their own plan that they think will heal them of the heartaches of this life. They believe that if they can just be strong enough, smart enough, wealthy enough -- they'll be able to fix everything that is wrong in their lives. On their own. They don't, after all, need anyone else.
Just like the people who crowded around the pool of Bethesda, they vainly believe that their plan will bring the hope and change that they are longing for. After many years, they may realize that their plan isn't working, and they are left with pain, and hopelessness. The choices they have made and the sins they have committed have trapped them. All because they are looking at their own little pool, instead of looking at the fountain that flows from Christ: forgiveness of sin, healing of lives and peace for the future.
Praise the Lamb, who says to us, "Pick up your mat and walk!"
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Prayer requests
Are you a spontaneous person?
By that I mean, does a prayer sometimes rise up in your heart, far from your usual, planned time of prayer, and the Spirit awakens in you the desire to pray?
It's vitally important to have a certain time that we meet with the Lord in prayer and devotion, but we can also pray spontaneously:
- we can whisper a "thank you" to God after a close call on the highway
- we can ask God for help and wisdom in a difficult conversation
- we can praise Him for a beautiful sunrise or sunset
- we can ask Him to forgive us right after we think an unkind thought about someone
- we can ask Him for strength when we are so tired we think we might drop
All of these are good times to pray. Our reliance on the Lord is deepened when we include Him in our day, not just putting prayer at the end of a busy day, like the period at the end of a sentence.
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. I John 5:14-15
Let us know of a request or a praise that is on your heart. Leave a comment and allow us the privilege of praying along with you.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Walk with me in old Jerusalem (intro, John 5)
Come with me, my friend, and walk with me in Jerusalem . . .
Ah, there you are, Ephraim, I'm joyful to see you this fine morning. Shalom. Will you walk with your old friend, Daniel? I am on my way to the Sheep Gate. Oh, don't look at me like that . . .I know that it is not altogether pleasant, but we've not seen each other in quite some time. Come with me.
I must make the arrangements for the sale of my sheep. You know that I raise many of my sheep to be used for the Temple sacrifices, no? Yes, I have heard the priests say that the sheep I supply are among the finest in the land. Moses told us that the lambs must be without blemish, and I breed and care for my sheep as if they were my children. Oh, you've heard about my wife's pet? Yes, yes, Miriam took that scrawny lamb to her heart . . . our children are grown and she needed something to dote on.
Oy. The lamb has grown fat and its fleece is magnificent. Miriam has promised to use some of the wool for thread, and make a special garment for our village rabbi. That old harpy, Tabitha, keeps muttering about secret sins, and how Miriam must be trying to atone by sewing our rabbi such a special robe, but the last time that I found her skulking about I sent her packing. Miriam has not been well of late, and she needs no extra work to entertain bothersome neighbors. Chutzpah, you say? Impudence? No, I just know what is best for that wife of mine.
Oh, forgive me, Ephraim, I am walking too fast for you. I forget that you are a city dweller, and not accustomed to walking the mountains and fields, as I do. Let us rest a moment, before we reach the Sheep Gate. It is a noisy and dirty place, no? The sheep are bleating, and there are hundreds of them. The dogs are barking constantly and the shepherds are calling, trying to make sure their flock does not get away, until they are safely in the pens. My dog is the best at that . . .sometimes I think she knows what I want her to do, before I give her the command. I don't think that Miriam has ever forgiven me for naming the dog Abby. She seems to think it has something to do with her mother's name. Oy. Abigail certainly was the bane of my life toward the end, but she was a godly woman, bless her memory. Ready to move on now?
You aren't very talkative this morning, Ephraim. As I said, the Sheep Gate is a dusty and noisy place. There is not much one can do, except to hold one's breath and keep a sharp eye. With so many animals there, the dust is as thick as the wool on the sheep. And the smell? Oy vey. What a stench. But then, you must expect it, for they are outdoor animals, and they must be washed and cleaned before they can be used in the temple. I do feel sorry for the boys that must wash them; all day long they are scrubbing sheep. The water simply intensifies the stench, much like a wet dog seeking shelter by our hearth.
Ah, we are almost there. See, on our right hand side? Where those five colonnades are? That is called the Pool of Bethesda, or in some tongues, Bethsaida. You remember what they say about that pool, don't you, Ephraim? See all the poor souls huddled about the water? Some are sick, some are blind, and some are crippled. They all are hoping to see the water ripple -- the legend says that an angel will come and touch the water sometimes, and the first person to get in the water once they see that ripple, will be healed. Do you believe that, Ephraim? I'm not sure about it.
I have a second cousin on Miriam's side that is there . . . he has been there for thirty-eight years now. Can you imagine? It's whispered that he made a terrible choice in his early years. That his decision as a young man has haunted him now for all these years, and he waits by the pool for a chance to be healed. I don't understand how he thinks he can be the first one in, though. He can't walk; he can barely move. I just bet that when that water stirs, the whole lot of them are shoving and yelling and cursing and trying to be the first one into the water. He doesn't stand a chance. But he's still there.
Pick up the hem of your robes, Ephraim, I wouldn't want you to go home to Deborah with your fine, city garments soiled. Come and see my fine sheep -- look, there is Abby, and my son Bartholemew, too, keeping the flock until I returned. He'll be on his way back to his clay and his wheel, now that we are done.
Please join us again this week as we continue . . .
Friday, February 14, 2014
Friday Slowdown
Thank you for joining me on this praise journey this week. I hope that it's been a blessing .
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Be still . . . and know, Part IV
This week we have taken a break from our studies in the gospel of John to focus on some of the characteristics of God, and praise Him for those. Today we will conclude our study and praise time. (Though we should never really finish praising Him, right?)
Since I am related to a person who can "program" computers (and by that I mean that the person can write the software code to make a computer accomplish certain desired tasks), the word "reprogram" is an easy one to explain. I am not talking about the term "brainwashing" but about training and disciplining our minds to react in a way that glorifies God.
We can praise Him that He can help us reprogram our minds so that we do not react with fear, anger or panic when adversity rears its head. Our hearts can be set securely on the Lord, and we can be confident knowing that He will fight the battles for us. Just as a programmer changes a line here and a line there in the software code, we can change the way that we think about our circumstances, and we can memorize Bible verses that will assist us when trouble comes.
Verses like these:
If God is for us who can be against us. (Rom. 8:31)
We can be reassured that we don't have to be overcome by the troubles:
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21)
And we can discipline our minds and our emotions by remembering His promises:
He who spared not Hs own Son but delivered Him up for us all will He not freely give us all things. (Rom 8:32)
By reprogramming our hearts and minds, we will avoid the panic that can come when trouble pops up; we will be able to praise God instead of shaking in our boots; and then we can give Him praise when He shows Himself to be greater than any problem, person, or situation that upsets us.
We also should be eager to praise God as a resource provider -- He has limitless resources available to win every good fight that we need to fight. Remember this verse in Matthew?
Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53)
Many people are apprehensive about moving forward until they believe that they have all of the necessary resources in place, but we can trust God to provide all we need according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:19) Our awesome God not only controls all things, but He owns everything! He can provide all that we need, whether it is material goods or comfort and confidence!
We can also praise God that He is a rebuilder. Whether we are talking about a church that is fractured by conflict among its members, or a life that needs the healing touch of Jesus to shake off addiction, depression, bereavement or failure. It is His desire that His name will be known throughout the entire earth, and that all should come to Him and enjoy a loving and peaceful relationship.
God's power is sufficient to break those shackles, and give victory to His people. It is not important for us to feel like we can do it. In fact, Satan would love for us to do one of two things . . . either to be puffed up and feel we can do it on our own, or to be a puddle of misery, thinking that we can never do anything, because we are a lost cause even for God.
Nothing could be further from the truth! He is able! Whether we are standing in a still and snowy pasture or beside the crashing waves of the sea . . .
And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
how faint the whisper we hear of him!
Who then can understand the thunder of his power? (Job 26:14)
It is he who made the earth by his power,
who established the world by his wisdom,
and by his understanding stretched out the heavens. (Jeremiah 10:12)
The awesome Creator is the same God who wants to love, comfort, and provide for us. To keep us safe under His wings (Matthew 23:37) )
This illustration says what I'm trying to convey:
A little boy was eagerly looking forward to the birthday party of a friend who lived only a few blocks away. When the day finally arrived, a blizzard made the sidewalks and roads nearly impassable. The lad’s father, sensing the danger, hesitated to let his son go. The youngster reacted tearfully. "But Dad," he pleaded, "all the other kids will be there. Their parents are letting them go." The father thought for a moment, then replied softly, "All right, you may go." Surprised but overjoyed, the boy bundled up and plunged into the raging storm. The driving snow made visibility almost impossible, and it took him more than half an hour to trudge the short distance to the party. As he rang the doorbell, he turned briefly to look out into the storm. His eye caught the shadow of a retreating figure. It was his father. He had followed his son’s every step to make sure he arrived safely. (Courtesy of a sermon from Paul Fritz on Sermon Central)
That earthly father gives us a picture of our heavenly Father and His love. Let's praise Him!
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Be still . . . and know, Part III
Thanks for coming back again during this "praise week" here at the study blog. Sometimes we just need to take a step back and refresh our perception of the awesome God we serve . . . so this week we are praising Him for the characteristics He shows. We are trying to be still and know Him better.
One of the running jokes among folks who deal with computers every day is that many things that trouble us and frustrate us about these machines can be "fixed" by simply resetting them. Some people call it a reboot. Information technology technicians routinely tell others to push the button, turn off the machine, and then turn it on again. Be it a computer, a router, a modem, or a smartphone, many times it works! A reboot can cure what ails them . . . if the phone is hung up on an application, or if the computer is running slowly and inefficiently, rebooting will sometimes make things operate like new.
We need to allow our Lord to reboot our mind, our will, and our emotions each morning before engaging in our daily activities. (Or sometimes in the middle of the day, too!) In this way, God can remove things in our hearts that would cause us great harm if we continued to go on with it, just like a virus in that computer. We know that one word from Him can reset all things in their proper position and place.
The God we serve is infinitely above all of the enemies who may seek to steal, kill or destroy those who are His. And He is perfectly capable of resetting the order in His favor, when we call upon Him to deliver us. He can reboot us, and He can reboot our circumstances, as well. We can praise Him that He is there for us."Nations are in an uproar, kingdoms fall, he lifts his voice and the earth melts." (Psa 46:6)
Another praise-worthy characteristic of our God is that He tells us ahead of time, what will happen in the future. He reveals things to us, so that we can learn to trust Him and be unafraid. There is no doubt from the scriptures we can read, that God will be exalted in all the nations, and in the whole earth. And He is interested in a close relationship with us. He reveals Himself to us:
"He who has my commands and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by My Father and I will love them and will reveal myself (disclose, manifest) to him. (I will let myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.) John 14:21And He reveals what is ahead: the entire sixteenth chapter of John's gospel contains the words of Jesus, as He tells us what the future holds for His children. He tells us about the future, and then He tells us not to lose heart:
“So you believe in me now?” replied Jesus. “The time is coming, indeed, it has already come, when you will be scattered, every one of you going home and leaving me alone. Yet I am not really alone for the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may find your peace in me. You will find trouble in the world—but, never lose heart, I have conquered the world!”
Heaven and earth will pass away but my word will never pass away. Matthew 24:35Have you heard the expression, "not operating on all cylinders"? An engine which is not using all of its cylinders is sputtering and popping and coughing and well, you get the point. It's not running well, and it doesn't have the power that it could have.
We must learn to trust and obey God in all things so that we can see more of Him revealed. We can have greater intimacy with our Lord, and that will allow us to experience His power in our lives -- we'll be running on all cylinders!
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Be still . . . and know
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10a
Were you able to "be still" yesterday? The era in which we live seems to encourage us to live at a state of high alert -- a fever pitch of activity and anxiety. David was probably feeling the same way when he wrote that Psalm -- his nation was under attack by the Assyrians, and his people needed assurance that God was there for them.
It's good for us to take time each day to be still and reverently honor Him as the God of power, love and mercy.
As part of this week of praise, let's look at some of the characteristics of this awesome God.
The first characteristic that we can praise God for, is that He is our refuge. In the very Psalm that our focus verse comes from, we also read that
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in the time of trouble." (Psalm 46:1)David was telling himself, his people, and us, that God is full of power. His power can overcome any obstacle, any calamity that may happen in our lives. A refuge is a shelter; it's protection from danger. When we seek refuge in God, we are trusting in Him to keep us safe, and to deliver us from danger and trouble. Are we seeking refuge in Him? Or are we substituting our possessions, our reputation, our abilities? Great is He, and greatly to be praised. He can be trusted to be our refuge.
I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." (Psalm 91:2)
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. (Proverbs 18:10)Another praise about our God is that He is our Comforter. Our Father constantly reassures us with His mighty power, His presence, and His promises in the Bible. We need to take time to thank God for the fact that He reassures us with rock solid guarantees about our security.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure." (Psalm 40:2)Some people will not admit that they need to be comforted; they will not admit that they need to feel secure. They are fooling themselves, and they are leaving themselves open for distress and depression. We know that God alone is the one Who is able to give us the confidence to move ahead in our lives. He is the One Who can comfort us and give us the security we need, that we are moving within His will for us. It doesn't matter what the circumstances are, or if we are fearful, or if Satan is pestering us, we can be reassured that He is here for us every moment of every day.
I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 16:8)
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)Jesus knew that we would need to be comforted. He spoke these words:
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.What an awesome God we serve! We can praise Him today for his being a refuge for us, and a Comforter, too. We can face that challenges of our lives with the attitude that Abraham had:
"He staggered not through unbelief but grew strong in faith, being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform." (Rom. 4:20,21)
Monday, February 10, 2014
Be still . . .
The pastures and trees (or houses and yards, depending on where you live) are draped with that amazing blanket of white which seems to absorb most sounds. The pristine white stretches before you, begging you to be the first to explore and leave your footprints on its face.
Standing in the middle of a pasture, you can look back at a cozy house, lights glowing in the windows and smoke curling gently from the chimney.
And it is so very quiet.
You don't hear any cars.
You can't hear any dogs barking.
The barn owl is silent, probably sleeping inside the barn, grateful for the shelter.
The trees and the taller grasses stand with you, making no sound.
And this verse enters your mind:
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10a
Did you know that the two words "silent" and "listen" are created with the same letters? This week I'd like to take a break from our studies in John and have a "praise week" when we refresh our memories of this verse. Let's shut out the frenzy of the world, the stress of life, all the things that clamor and shout for our attention . . .
Let's slow down and quiet down.
Let's calmly, deliberately, quietly seek that still, hushed peace that we have experienced before, but have perhaps told ourselves that we don't have time for.
I think the rewards will be greater than we realize.
Today, find some time to sit and be still. To let our minds be still. When we begin to think of things we need to do, chores to complete, goals to accomplish, re-focus on being still. Perhaps you can contemplate the blessings of the past days or week, to begin, but then try to clear your mind even of those things. Try to make your mind be as tranquil as that snowy pasture. Then have a time of prayer, and speak with our Lord. Praise Him for His goodness, and ask Him to let you know Him.
We'll continue these thoughts tomorrow.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Friday slowdown
I just looked up today
And realized how far away I am from where You are
You gave me life worth dying for
But between the altar and the door
I bought the lies that promised more
And here I go again
Lord, I know I let You down
But somehow, I will make You proud
I'll turn this sinking ship around
And make it back to You
But all my deeds and my good name
Are just dirty rags that tear and strain
To cover all my guilty stains
That You already washed away
('Cause) All You've ever wanted, all You've ever wanted
All You've ever wanted was my heart
Freedom's arms are open, my chains have all been broken
Relentless love has called me from the start
And all You wanted was my heart
I was chasing healing when I'd been made well
I was fighting battles when You conquered hell
Living free but from a prison cell
Lord, I lay it down today
So I'll stop living off of how I feel
And start standing on Your truth revealed
Jesus is my strength, my shield
And He will never fail me
No more chains, I've been set free
No more fighting battles You've won for me
Now in Christ, I stand complete.....
And realized how far away I am from where You are
You gave me life worth dying for
But between the altar and the door
I bought the lies that promised more
And here I go again
Lord, I know I let You down
But somehow, I will make You proud
I'll turn this sinking ship around
And make it back to You
But all my deeds and my good name
Are just dirty rags that tear and strain
To cover all my guilty stains
That You already washed away
('Cause) All You've ever wanted, all You've ever wanted
All You've ever wanted was my heart
Freedom's arms are open, my chains have all been broken
Relentless love has called me from the start
And all You wanted was my heart
I was chasing healing when I'd been made well
I was fighting battles when You conquered hell
Living free but from a prison cell
Lord, I lay it down today
So I'll stop living off of how I feel
And start standing on Your truth revealed
Jesus is my strength, my shield
And He will never fail me
No more chains, I've been set free
No more fighting battles You've won for me
Now in Christ, I stand complete.....
Thursday, February 6, 2014
John 4:43-54, Pretend believers and one real one, Conclusion
43 After the two days he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 45 When
he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all
that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
In concluding our study of this passage, we want to see what we can do to be more like the official (a true believer) and less like the Galileans (pretend believers).
We'll need to avoid some of the traps that messed up the Galileans, and we'll need to focus on Jesus' glory.
Let's dig in!
Even though we are not from Jesus' hometown, there are sins that made it hard for His own people to receive Him, that may be within us.
First, there is pride . . . the pride of knowing or being related to someone extraordinary. Being attached to someone special. That sense of importance that we get from that. You see, the people there could say that Jesus, this great miracle-worker, grew up in their town. So of course they want Him to do more signs and miracles, and they are excited about that possibility. But wait a minute -- why do they really want those signs? Because the more that He does, the more the people in other towns hear about it, and the more proud they can be about their town. We can see some big egos here! These folks aren't tuned in to the humility and service that Jesus personified; they don't pay attention to the grace He offers. His power and fame are feeding their sinful pride. Can we see this today when folks are attached to a church, a movement, a music style or performer? It's really subtle. We begin to want it to thrive and grow, not for Christ's glory, but because it feeds our own ego. Kinda hard to get into servanthood when our egos are out of control . . .
A second trap that messed up some of the townspeople was a sense of entitlement -- He is from our town, so we get the biggest miracles. The most. The special stuff. This is such a problem today. If we begin to feel entitled, or like we deserve the blessings of Christ because of US, we are falling into this trap! Kinda hard to honor Him for what He is, when we are focused on what we are . . .
Lastly, a trap that caused the Galileans difficulty was over-familiarity with Jesus. They were so full of, "He is one of us. We know His mom. We know His brothers. Why, I recall a time that He...." and so on, and so on. Then it was hard for them to believe He was what He claimed. Are we so familiar with the Bible, and with Jesus, and with our faith, that nothing we read in the Gospels seems incredible. It doesn't blow us away when He shows His power and His sovereignty. Kinda hard to focus on Him when we are no longer amazed by His authority and power . . .
If we can avoid those traps, we can zero in and be blessed by a vision of Jesus' glory:
He was gracious; He gave the gift of healing and of life. He wasn't looking at anyone's merit or how much they deserved it. He just gave . . . oh, what grace!
We also can see the glory of His power -- He healed the boy with only a word. The child was miles away, in Capernaum. But you know, it wouldn't have mattered if the boy were somewhere in the next galaxy. When Jesus speaks, there are no limits on His power. Don't forget, it was immediate. The very moment that Jesus spoke, it happened.
Surely, seeing the grace and power of Christ should send us to our knees in thanksgiving.
Please, Lord, if we are in or near those traps that would cause us not to honor You with true belief and faith, help us to leave them behind, and be real believers!
46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
In concluding our study of this passage, we want to see what we can do to be more like the official (a true believer) and less like the Galileans (pretend believers).
We'll need to avoid some of the traps that messed up the Galileans, and we'll need to focus on Jesus' glory.
Let's dig in!
Even though we are not from Jesus' hometown, there are sins that made it hard for His own people to receive Him, that may be within us.
First, there is pride . . . the pride of knowing or being related to someone extraordinary. Being attached to someone special. That sense of importance that we get from that. You see, the people there could say that Jesus, this great miracle-worker, grew up in their town. So of course they want Him to do more signs and miracles, and they are excited about that possibility. But wait a minute -- why do they really want those signs? Because the more that He does, the more the people in other towns hear about it, and the more proud they can be about their town. We can see some big egos here! These folks aren't tuned in to the humility and service that Jesus personified; they don't pay attention to the grace He offers. His power and fame are feeding their sinful pride. Can we see this today when folks are attached to a church, a movement, a music style or performer? It's really subtle. We begin to want it to thrive and grow, not for Christ's glory, but because it feeds our own ego. Kinda hard to get into servanthood when our egos are out of control . . .
A second trap that messed up some of the townspeople was a sense of entitlement -- He is from our town, so we get the biggest miracles. The most. The special stuff. This is such a problem today. If we begin to feel entitled, or like we deserve the blessings of Christ because of US, we are falling into this trap! Kinda hard to honor Him for what He is, when we are focused on what we are . . .
Lastly, a trap that caused the Galileans difficulty was over-familiarity with Jesus. They were so full of, "He is one of us. We know His mom. We know His brothers. Why, I recall a time that He...." and so on, and so on. Then it was hard for them to believe He was what He claimed. Are we so familiar with the Bible, and with Jesus, and with our faith, that nothing we read in the Gospels seems incredible. It doesn't blow us away when He shows His power and His sovereignty. Kinda hard to focus on Him when we are no longer amazed by His authority and power . . .
If we can avoid those traps, we can zero in and be blessed by a vision of Jesus' glory:
He was gracious; He gave the gift of healing and of life. He wasn't looking at anyone's merit or how much they deserved it. He just gave . . . oh, what grace!
We also can see the glory of His power -- He healed the boy with only a word. The child was miles away, in Capernaum. But you know, it wouldn't have mattered if the boy were somewhere in the next galaxy. When Jesus speaks, there are no limits on His power. Don't forget, it was immediate. The very moment that Jesus spoke, it happened.
Surely, seeing the grace and power of Christ should send us to our knees in thanksgiving.
Please, Lord, if we are in or near those traps that would cause us not to honor You with true belief and faith, help us to leave them behind, and be real believers!
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
John 4:43-54 Pretend believers and one real one, Part II
43 After the two days he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 45 When
he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all
that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Remember on Monday when we talked about how the people of Galilee were excited about Jesus' signs and wonders, and not about His being the Savior and Messiah?
Now, enter the official.
Let's dig in!
What did you think the first time you ever read this passage? Were you expecting to hear the same thing from the official, that we heard from the people of Galilee? From his request, you might wonder about that . . . he asks Jesus to come and heal his son.
Let's read again what Jesus said:
So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe."
Ouch! But what a minute!
If we look at the original language, the word used for "you" in that verse, is not a singular but a plural. He is not addressing the official only, but all of the people. All of those people in His home area. He is saying . . . you are sign-seekers. You are worshiping the wonders, and not the Wonderful. You are telling Me that you believe in Me, but your belief is not real belief that honors Me, or places your faith in Me. You are not ready to treasure Me as the Son of God, full of glory. And that kind of faith, that excitement only in what I can do for you, actually disrespects and dishonors Me, and my Father.
So, now what about this official? Is he included in that crowd of folks who "believed" but didn't believe? Was he like the rest, and seeking the signs, instead of the Savior?
Was Jesus testing him?
Perhaps.
He did not, after all, come saying, "I am sinful. Forgive me. Help me live for You." No, he said, "I have a need. Fix it."
Whether he was being tested or not, he comes through with flying colors. He doesn't even respond to Jesus' rebuff. Doesn't get mad, doesn't get huffy, doesn't pout.
He simply repeats the request.
Jesus doesn't comment (aloud) on his sincerity, and neither does John, as he writes. But what a gift is given to this official!
"Go, your son will live."
I get misty eyed reading that. The Creator of the universe has spoken, and we know in our hearts that it will be as He has spoken.
And this remarkable official, who had asked Jesus to come with him, doesn't stop to question -- he turns on his heel and walks home. He believed, and he went. He didn't insist on proof. He didn't complain that Christ wasn't coming with him. John says he left -- believing. Something had awakened in him, something that we call faith. He saw more than a sign-maker in Jesus; he saw a Savior sent from God.
The next verses confirm for us that his son was healed at the very hour that Jesus spoke. Look at 51-53 . . . the father knew that was the hour that Jesus had told him his son would live. His faith was encouraged and rewarded, and his household believed on Jesus, too.
Did you wonder why John wrote in verses 46 and 49 that this man was an official? The word he used is translated "royal one." It also means "connected to the king." The king that ruled over Galilee was Herod Antipas, a truly wicked man who had married his brother's wife and would later put John the Baptist to death. John is connecting the official with the court, perhaps to say that he is more like the Samaritans who believed in Jesus, than the Galileans who did not. That in the midst of a boatload of pretend believers, here was a real one.
So what, as Paul Harvey would say, is the "rest of the story? What is John trying to accomplish with this writing? We've said before that he wrote so that we would "get it." So we would see the glory of Christ. Tomorrow we'll conclude by looking at the kinds of things that keep people from honoring Christ, as the official did. What keeps them in the category of pretend believers, instead of hopping over into the category of real believers, like the official in our passage.
46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Remember on Monday when we talked about how the people of Galilee were excited about Jesus' signs and wonders, and not about His being the Savior and Messiah?
Now, enter the official.
Let's dig in!
What did you think the first time you ever read this passage? Were you expecting to hear the same thing from the official, that we heard from the people of Galilee? From his request, you might wonder about that . . . he asks Jesus to come and heal his son.
Let's read again what Jesus said:
So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe."
Ouch! But what a minute!
If we look at the original language, the word used for "you" in that verse, is not a singular but a plural. He is not addressing the official only, but all of the people. All of those people in His home area. He is saying . . . you are sign-seekers. You are worshiping the wonders, and not the Wonderful. You are telling Me that you believe in Me, but your belief is not real belief that honors Me, or places your faith in Me. You are not ready to treasure Me as the Son of God, full of glory. And that kind of faith, that excitement only in what I can do for you, actually disrespects and dishonors Me, and my Father.
So, now what about this official? Is he included in that crowd of folks who "believed" but didn't believe? Was he like the rest, and seeking the signs, instead of the Savior?
Was Jesus testing him?
Perhaps.
He did not, after all, come saying, "I am sinful. Forgive me. Help me live for You." No, he said, "I have a need. Fix it."
Whether he was being tested or not, he comes through with flying colors. He doesn't even respond to Jesus' rebuff. Doesn't get mad, doesn't get huffy, doesn't pout.
He simply repeats the request.
Jesus doesn't comment (aloud) on his sincerity, and neither does John, as he writes. But what a gift is given to this official!
"Go, your son will live."
I get misty eyed reading that. The Creator of the universe has spoken, and we know in our hearts that it will be as He has spoken.
And this remarkable official, who had asked Jesus to come with him, doesn't stop to question -- he turns on his heel and walks home. He believed, and he went. He didn't insist on proof. He didn't complain that Christ wasn't coming with him. John says he left -- believing. Something had awakened in him, something that we call faith. He saw more than a sign-maker in Jesus; he saw a Savior sent from God.
The next verses confirm for us that his son was healed at the very hour that Jesus spoke. Look at 51-53 . . . the father knew that was the hour that Jesus had told him his son would live. His faith was encouraged and rewarded, and his household believed on Jesus, too.
Did you wonder why John wrote in verses 46 and 49 that this man was an official? The word he used is translated "royal one." It also means "connected to the king." The king that ruled over Galilee was Herod Antipas, a truly wicked man who had married his brother's wife and would later put John the Baptist to death. John is connecting the official with the court, perhaps to say that he is more like the Samaritans who believed in Jesus, than the Galileans who did not. That in the midst of a boatload of pretend believers, here was a real one.
So what, as Paul Harvey would say, is the "rest of the story? What is John trying to accomplish with this writing? We've said before that he wrote so that we would "get it." So we would see the glory of Christ. Tomorrow we'll conclude by looking at the kinds of things that keep people from honoring Christ, as the official did. What keeps them in the category of pretend believers, instead of hopping over into the category of real believers, like the official in our passage.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
A little different - Favorite hymns
We often pause on Tuesdays to pray together, and rejoice over answered prayers.
Sometimes we share verses that have blessed our hearts in the past week or so.
Today I'd like to open this post for all to leave a comment and tell us:
What is your favorite hymn or praise song?
If you are like me, the answer to that question probably changes every week, or even every day! But let's take a moment to share our favorites.
Sometimes we share verses that have blessed our hearts in the past week or so.
Today I'd like to open this post for all to leave a comment and tell us:
What is your favorite hymn or praise song?
If you are like me, the answer to that question probably changes every week, or even every day! But let's take a moment to share our favorites.
speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, (Ephesians 5:19)
Monday, February 3, 2014
John 4:43-54 Pretend believers, and one real one, Part I
43 After the two days he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 45 When
he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all
that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
This is such a powerful passage. We've just completed our study of the earlier verses and learned so much; God has revealed more of Himself and of us, in this next passage.
Let's dig in!
Verse 43 tells us about some logistics. We know that Jesus has just spent two days in Samaria, and the time there was truly successful. It seems that the whole town where He was ministering was turning to Him as the Messiah and the Savior. These people have not focused on His miracle-working powers, but on His word. (Remember that. I'm not going to give you a quiz, but it's important.)
The people there were saying, "We have heard Him for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world." (John 4:42) You know, that is a much better, more heartfelt response than anything He'd gotten from His own people, the Jews.
Anyway, back to logistics. He's leaving now for Galilee. This is where Jesus grew up, in the town of Nazareth. If we were to look over Simon or Andrew's shoulder at the map, we'd see about ten miles north of Nazareth was Cana (remember He turned the water into wine?) and then about fifteen miles east of Cana was Capernaum. That will come in handy to know, later on.
To make the long story short, Jesus was leaving Samaria for His homeland. Going back to His old "stomping grounds" as we say.
Verse 44 begins with the word "for." That means it is going to tell us the "because" that explains verse 43. So, after the two days He departed for Galilee, "for Jesus Himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown." It seems that John wants to emphasize to us that Jesus is coming "home" to His own people, knowing full well that they will not understand Him, nor honor Him.
This is not really new, right? Remember in John 1:11? John, the beloved disciple, told us that "He came to His own and his own people did not receive Him." It's not new, but it still seems strange to us, because we are humans. As Isaiah 55:9 reveals, "my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."
But we have to believe that this is part of Jesus' plan, from the beginning. He intends to keep offering Himself to His own. He knows they will not receive Him. He knows that in the end, it will result in His death. But that is why He came.
Next we see the pretend believers, that I mentioned in the title: in verse 45, John says, "So therefore, when He came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed Him."
Whoa.
I thought we just said they wouldn't honor Him? That's right.
The welcome, and the reception, is not what it seems on the outside. If we look at the roots of the words used, it is a kind of receiving that contains no true honor for His person. Look closely: they are just interested in His signs and wonders.
Oy. We've seen this before . . . remember in John 2:23-25?
Strange that in contrast, the ones they hated, the Samaritans, saw that glory and believed on Him.
You know, even His own brothers did not believe on Him. If we hop over and look at John 7:3-5, we see:
So his brothers said to Him, "Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world." For not even his brothers believed in Him.
Sure, they believed that He could do miracles. And they were eager to have Him show these miracles to the world. They may have had ulterior motives, for John notes that they talked like that because they did not believe on Him.
So He comes to His own, even His own brothers, and they do not receive Him. They don't believe on Him. Some of them may think that they are receiving Him. They may think that they are believers. But they don't understand. They don't have eyes to see.
So they don't honor Him. They make a fuss over Him and His miracles. But they don't "get it."
Hang on -- someone is stepping on the scene that is a true believer. We'll talk about him next time.
46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
This is such a powerful passage. We've just completed our study of the earlier verses and learned so much; God has revealed more of Himself and of us, in this next passage.
Let's dig in!
Verse 43 tells us about some logistics. We know that Jesus has just spent two days in Samaria, and the time there was truly successful. It seems that the whole town where He was ministering was turning to Him as the Messiah and the Savior. These people have not focused on His miracle-working powers, but on His word. (Remember that. I'm not going to give you a quiz, but it's important.)
The people there were saying, "We have heard Him for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world." (John 4:42) You know, that is a much better, more heartfelt response than anything He'd gotten from His own people, the Jews.
Anyway, back to logistics. He's leaving now for Galilee. This is where Jesus grew up, in the town of Nazareth. If we were to look over Simon or Andrew's shoulder at the map, we'd see about ten miles north of Nazareth was Cana (remember He turned the water into wine?) and then about fifteen miles east of Cana was Capernaum. That will come in handy to know, later on.
To make the long story short, Jesus was leaving Samaria for His homeland. Going back to His old "stomping grounds" as we say.
Verse 44 begins with the word "for." That means it is going to tell us the "because" that explains verse 43. So, after the two days He departed for Galilee, "for Jesus Himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown." It seems that John wants to emphasize to us that Jesus is coming "home" to His own people, knowing full well that they will not understand Him, nor honor Him.
This is not really new, right? Remember in John 1:11? John, the beloved disciple, told us that "He came to His own and his own people did not receive Him." It's not new, but it still seems strange to us, because we are humans. As Isaiah 55:9 reveals, "my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."
But we have to believe that this is part of Jesus' plan, from the beginning. He intends to keep offering Himself to His own. He knows they will not receive Him. He knows that in the end, it will result in His death. But that is why He came.
Next we see the pretend believers, that I mentioned in the title: in verse 45, John says, "So therefore, when He came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed Him."
Whoa.
I thought we just said they wouldn't honor Him? That's right.
The welcome, and the reception, is not what it seems on the outside. If we look at the roots of the words used, it is a kind of receiving that contains no true honor for His person. Look closely: they are just interested in His signs and wonders.
Oy. We've seen this before . . . remember in John 2:23-25?
Now when Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs that He was doing. 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.If you remember, John told us that this was not a kind of faith that Jesus accepted. These were people who were excited about His miracles. They were jumping up and down and pointing and oohing and ahhing . . . but they didn't believe in His glory as the Son of God, the Messiah.
Strange that in contrast, the ones they hated, the Samaritans, saw that glory and believed on Him.
You know, even His own brothers did not believe on Him. If we hop over and look at John 7:3-5, we see:
So his brothers said to Him, "Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world." For not even his brothers believed in Him.
Sure, they believed that He could do miracles. And they were eager to have Him show these miracles to the world. They may have had ulterior motives, for John notes that they talked like that because they did not believe on Him.
So He comes to His own, even His own brothers, and they do not receive Him. They don't believe on Him. Some of them may think that they are receiving Him. They may think that they are believers. But they don't understand. They don't have eyes to see.
So they don't honor Him. They make a fuss over Him and His miracles. But they don't "get it."
Hang on -- someone is stepping on the scene that is a true believer. We'll talk about him next time.
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