John 12:37-50 (KJV)
Even though Jesus had done so many miracles before the people, yet they believed not on him: that the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and space of him. Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Jesus cried and said, "He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Jesus Predicts His Death
John 12:20-28
Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to attend the Passover paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, "Sir, we want to meet Jesus," Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.
Jesus replied, "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone a single seed. But it's death will produce many new kernels a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. All those who want to be my disciples must come and follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them. Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, Father, save me from what lies ahead? But that is the very reason why I came! Father, bring glory to your name."
Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought it glory, and I will do it again."
Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to attend the Passover paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, "Sir, we want to meet Jesus," Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.
Jesus replied, "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone a single seed. But it's death will produce many new kernels a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. All those who want to be my disciples must come and follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them. Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, Father, save me from what lies ahead? But that is the very reason why I came! Father, bring glory to your name."
Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought it glory, and I will do it again."
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
The Triumphal Entry
John 12:12-19 (NLT) Summary
We read today about the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A huge crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet Jesus. They shouted, "Praise God! Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!"
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: "Don't be afraid, people of Israel. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt."
His disciples didn't realize at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered that these Scriptures had come true before their eyes.
Those in the crowd who had seen Jesus call Lazarus back to life were telling others all about it. That was the main reason so many went out to meet him because they had heard about this mighty miracle.
Then the Pharisees said to each other, "We've lost. Look, the whole world has gone after him."
We read today about the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A huge crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet Jesus. They shouted, "Praise God! Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!"
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: "Don't be afraid, people of Israel. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt."
His disciples didn't realize at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered that these Scriptures had come true before their eyes.
Those in the crowd who had seen Jesus call Lazarus back to life were telling others all about it. That was the main reason so many went out to meet him because they had heard about this mighty miracle.
Then the Pharisees said to each other, "We've lost. Look, the whole world has gone after him."
Monday, February 25, 2019
Jesus and the Passover
John 12:1-11
In chapter 11 the question was asked if anyone would see Jesus at the Passover? There was a plot to kill Jesus and so Jesus left his public ministry and had not been seen. Anyone who saw Jesus was to report him immediately to the Jewish leaders so that he could be arrested.
In chapter 12 we read that six days before the Passover ceremonies began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus. It was here that Martha served the meal, Lazarus sat at the table with Jesus, and Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of hard, and she anointed Jesus' feet with it and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with fragrance.
Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus' disciples, the one who would betray him said, "That perfume was worth a small fortune and it should have been sold and the money given to the poor." Judas did not really care for the poor but he was in charge of the funds and he often took money from it.
Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. She did it in preparation for my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer."
When all the people heard of Jesus' arrival they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.
In chapter 11 the question was asked if anyone would see Jesus at the Passover? There was a plot to kill Jesus and so Jesus left his public ministry and had not been seen. Anyone who saw Jesus was to report him immediately to the Jewish leaders so that he could be arrested.
In chapter 12 we read that six days before the Passover ceremonies began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus. It was here that Martha served the meal, Lazarus sat at the table with Jesus, and Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of hard, and she anointed Jesus' feet with it and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with fragrance.
Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus' disciples, the one who would betray him said, "That perfume was worth a small fortune and it should have been sold and the money given to the poor." Judas did not really care for the poor but he was in charge of the funds and he often took money from it.
Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. She did it in preparation for my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer."
When all the people heard of Jesus' arrival they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.
Saturday, February 23, 2019
The Plot to Kill Jesus
John 11:45-57 (NLT)
Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. (Lazarus coming alive.) But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together to discuss the situation. "What are we going to do?" they asked each other. "This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. If we leave him alone, the whole nation will follow him, and then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation."
And one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, "How can you be so stupid? Why should the whole nation be destroyed? Let this one man die for the people." This prophecy that Jesus should die for the entire nation came from Caiaphas in his position as high priest. He didn't think of it himself, he was inspired to say it. It was a predication that Jesus' death would be not for Israel only, but for the gathering together of all the children of God scattered around the world.
So from that time on the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus' death. As a result, Jesus stopped ;his public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem. He went to a place near the wilderness, to the village of Ephraim and stayed there with his disciples.
It was now almost time for the celebration of Passover, and many people from the country arrived in Jerusalem several days early so they could go through the cleansing ceremony before the Passover began. They wanted to see Jesus, and as they talked in the Temple, they asked each other, "What do you think? Will he come for the Passover?" Meanwhile, the leading priests and Pharisees had publicly announced that anyone seeing Jesus must report him immediately so they could arrest him.
Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. (Lazarus coming alive.) But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together to discuss the situation. "What are we going to do?" they asked each other. "This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. If we leave him alone, the whole nation will follow him, and then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation."
And one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, "How can you be so stupid? Why should the whole nation be destroyed? Let this one man die for the people." This prophecy that Jesus should die for the entire nation came from Caiaphas in his position as high priest. He didn't think of it himself, he was inspired to say it. It was a predication that Jesus' death would be not for Israel only, but for the gathering together of all the children of God scattered around the world.
So from that time on the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus' death. As a result, Jesus stopped ;his public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem. He went to a place near the wilderness, to the village of Ephraim and stayed there with his disciples.
It was now almost time for the celebration of Passover, and many people from the country arrived in Jerusalem several days early so they could go through the cleansing ceremony before the Passover began. They wanted to see Jesus, and as they talked in the Temple, they asked each other, "What do you think? Will he come for the Passover?" Meanwhile, the leading priests and Pharisees had publicly announced that anyone seeing Jesus must report him immediately so they could arrest him.
Friday, February 22, 2019
Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead
John 11:38-44 (NLT)
And again Jesus was deeply troubled. Then they came to the grave. It was a cave with a stone rolled across it's entrance. "Roll the stone aside," Jesus told them.
But Martha, the dead man's sister, said, "Lord, by now the smell will be terrible because he has been dead for four days."
Jesus responded, "Didn't I tell you that you will see God's glory if you believe?" So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, thankyou for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so they will believe you sent me." Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" And Lazarus came out, bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him go!"
*What a dramatic event! Jesus was still troubled by what he saw and that Martha and Mary were so sad about their brother dying. But Jesus knew that in just a few minutes thing would be alright. He thanked His Father for hearing Him and with a loud voice he told Lazarus to come out of the grave. All those that saw this would believe that the Father had sent Jesus to the people.
Oh, what a wonderful God we have and we too can thank Him for sending His Son to die for us and that He rose again so that we would not be separated from God forever once we believe what Jesus did for us and believe that He is the Son of God.
And again Jesus was deeply troubled. Then they came to the grave. It was a cave with a stone rolled across it's entrance. "Roll the stone aside," Jesus told them.
But Martha, the dead man's sister, said, "Lord, by now the smell will be terrible because he has been dead for four days."
Jesus responded, "Didn't I tell you that you will see God's glory if you believe?" So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, thankyou for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so they will believe you sent me." Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" And Lazarus came out, bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him go!"
*What a dramatic event! Jesus was still troubled by what he saw and that Martha and Mary were so sad about their brother dying. But Jesus knew that in just a few minutes thing would be alright. He thanked His Father for hearing Him and with a loud voice he told Lazarus to come out of the grave. All those that saw this would believe that the Father had sent Jesus to the people.
Oh, what a wonderful God we have and we too can thank Him for sending His Son to die for us and that He rose again so that we would not be separated from God forever once we believe what Jesus did for us and believe that He is the Son of God.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Death of Lazarus
John 11:1-35 NLT
A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. This is the Mary who poured the expensive perfume on the Lord's feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, Lord, the one you love is very sick.
But when Jesus heard about it he said, "Lazarus's sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory of God. I, the son of God, will receive glory from this. Although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days and did not go to them. Finally after two days, he said to his disciples, "Let's go to Judea again." But his disciples objected, "Teacher, only a few days ago the Jewish leaders in Judea were trying to kill you. Are you going there again?"
Jesus replied, "There are twelve hours of daylight every day. As long as it is light, people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of the world. Only at night is there danger of stumbling because there is no light. Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up:
The disciples said, "Lord if he is sleeping, that means he is getter better!" They thought Jesus mean Lazarus was having a good night's rest, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.
Then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And for your sake, I am glad I wasn't there, because this will give you another opportunity to believe in me. Come, let's go see him."
Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let's go too and die with Jesus."
When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, and many of the people had come to pay their respects and console Martha and Mary on their loss. When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, But Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask."
Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again."
"Yes," Martha said, when everyone else rises, on resurrection day."
Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again. They are given eternal life for believing in me and will never perish. Do you believe this, Martha?:
"Yes, Lord," she told him. "I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God." Then she left him and returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, "The Teacher is here and wants to see you." So Mary immediately went to him.
Now Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. When the people who were at the house trying to console Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus's grave to weep. So they followed her there. When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell down at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, he was moved with indignation and was deeply troubled. Where have you put him? he asked them.
They told him, "Lord, come and see." Then Jesus wept. The people who were standing nearby said, "See how much he loved him." But some said, "This man healed a blind man. Why couldn't he keep Lazarus from dying?"
* There are a few events that took place that made me stop and think about a little bit more. The first one is when Jesus said as long as it is light, people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. Only night is there danger of stumbling, because there is no light. If we stop and think about this it is so true. When we walk in the light we are safe. It is when we walk in the dark that there is danger.
Second event was when Jesus met with Martha and she said, "Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died. Mary also said the same thing. Jesus saw them weeping and the other people were wailing with them and Jesus was moved and was deeply troubled. Jesus wept.
A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. This is the Mary who poured the expensive perfume on the Lord's feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, Lord, the one you love is very sick.
But when Jesus heard about it he said, "Lazarus's sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory of God. I, the son of God, will receive glory from this. Although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days and did not go to them. Finally after two days, he said to his disciples, "Let's go to Judea again." But his disciples objected, "Teacher, only a few days ago the Jewish leaders in Judea were trying to kill you. Are you going there again?"
Jesus replied, "There are twelve hours of daylight every day. As long as it is light, people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of the world. Only at night is there danger of stumbling because there is no light. Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up:
The disciples said, "Lord if he is sleeping, that means he is getter better!" They thought Jesus mean Lazarus was having a good night's rest, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.
Then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And for your sake, I am glad I wasn't there, because this will give you another opportunity to believe in me. Come, let's go see him."
Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let's go too and die with Jesus."
When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, and many of the people had come to pay their respects and console Martha and Mary on their loss. When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, But Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask."
Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again."
"Yes," Martha said, when everyone else rises, on resurrection day."
Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again. They are given eternal life for believing in me and will never perish. Do you believe this, Martha?:
"Yes, Lord," she told him. "I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God." Then she left him and returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, "The Teacher is here and wants to see you." So Mary immediately went to him.
Now Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. When the people who were at the house trying to console Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus's grave to weep. So they followed her there. When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell down at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, he was moved with indignation and was deeply troubled. Where have you put him? he asked them.
They told him, "Lord, come and see." Then Jesus wept. The people who were standing nearby said, "See how much he loved him." But some said, "This man healed a blind man. Why couldn't he keep Lazarus from dying?"
* There are a few events that took place that made me stop and think about a little bit more. The first one is when Jesus said as long as it is light, people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. Only night is there danger of stumbling, because there is no light. If we stop and think about this it is so true. When we walk in the light we are safe. It is when we walk in the dark that there is danger.
Second event was when Jesus met with Martha and she said, "Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died. Mary also said the same thing. Jesus saw them weeping and the other people were wailing with them and Jesus was moved and was deeply troubled. Jesus wept.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)