Fruit or Fire

 

“He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.” John 15:2

This metaphor of pruning branches that Jesus used has an overarching idea most people would understand. God removes unfruitful people. He grows fruitful people so they will become more fruitful. God enables fruitful people to advance His purposes more.

To understand this verse better, we must understand why a fruit farmer would cut tree branches. Jesus plainly explained the first reason. Farmers cut off dead branches from a tree to cause healthy growth of the rest of the tree. Without cutting off the dead branch, the tree will continue to send nutrients toward the dead branch instead of extending its nutrients to parts of the tree that will grow. Cutting off dead branches leads to more growth in other parts of the tree. This illustrates the metaphor's beginning.

Pruning the healthy parts of a fruit tree has several benefits. First, it strengthens the tree. Where before the tree’s sap was to grow fruit, pruning allows the tree sap to make the branch harder and stronger. Instead of sap going to grow fruit, it goes toward growing the branch. Going through hardships can cause a person to grow stronger in his faith and relationship with God.

Second, pruning a healthy branch can improve fruit production and fruit quality. Pruning stimulates new growth—offshoots—so more branches grow. As a result, each of those branches produces fruit instead of just the unpruned branch growing fruit. God’s pruning of His child causes that person to grow in many areas, so new spiritual fruit and Christian offspring grow from that believer. Pruning grows a person’s relationship with God. The deeper relationship with God causes growth of spiritual fruit, like patience, wisdom, compassion, joy, and peace. The deeper relationship with God grows the quality of that fruit, causing a deeper faith, greater peace, etc. Growth from a closer relationship with God leads to sharing the gospel and a personal testimony about God more. These lead to other people believing in Jesus and His saving them. Pruning may cause brief pain mental, heart, and/or physical. This pain is worth it to see more people saved by Jesus and experience a deeper relationship with God.

Third, pruning a branch helps a tree become more pest and disease resistant. Pruning causes growth in strength and resilience. Like a person’s health, outside influences can cause a tree to grow stronger so the tree can withstand forces that would cause it to shrivel, produce less fruit, and/or die. God allows a person to confront challenges for growth, not destruction. By going through trials, like the burnishing of metals, God removes impurities from His children. His strength alone is how they withstand adversity. Christians can progress despite adversity. James, Peter, and Paul wrote about perseverance, endurance, testing, patience, and building Christian character in James 1, 1 Peter 1, and Romans 5:3-5. Trials, though unwanted, have benefits just like pruning healthy branches has benefits.

Fourth, pruning trees opens the tree canopy so sunlight can reach more limbs and fruit. For this reason, fruit trees are wide and not very tall. More sun causes more fruit to grow on the tree. Also, by pruning the canopy, fruit does not grow higher in the tree. This makes it easier to reach all fruit during harvest season. A person who knows the Bible can only withstand some storms or temptations. A person whom Jesus saves and who grows in his relationship with God through daily prayer, Bible study, meditation, worship, and obedience to Him has a faith that has grown deep and wide. Temptations, trials, storms, and disease might assail a believer and might cause him to stall in his growth, but these can cause growth in his relationship with and faith in God. These occurrences can strengthen a believer, cause new growth on branches, and result in the growth of new and larger fruit. The outcome of God's gospel is evident in one's life. People see the gospel’s impact on people around the strengthening and growing Christian as he shares his testimony and God’s gospel.

Without removing dead limbs on a tree, diseases and/or pests kill the tree or cause it to become stunted and produce minimal fruit. By pruning healthy branches, trees become stronger and produce more and better fruit. Pruning stops the spread of diseases and pests that could harm the fruit or the sap (testimony) in the tree. It allows more sunlight, which causes more fruit to grow and makes the branches more accessible to harvesters.

When we face trials and hardships, we can grow stronger and produce more and better fruit. Instead of growing stronger through trials, we can freeze up and then get hurt or killed. God prefers us to grow stronger and bear more and better fruit. He allows or causes things to grow our relationship with Him and our trust in Him. God allows hardships to confront us to prune the dead branches from our lives. We should aim to grow, so we ask God what He wants us to learn from our situations. God wants us to grow to trust Him more, to have a deeper relationship with Him, and to become more Christlike. He will send you through fires to remove impurities and strengthen you. When strengthened by God, you, too, can say, “No weapon formed against us will prosper” (Isaiah 54:17).

Fruit or Fire.

Faith or Fruitlessness.

Which do you choose? I pray you choose to grow in your relationship with God and to produce more and better fruit within you that leads to more fruit—Christians—for God’s kingdom.

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD. (Isaiah 54:17)

 (Bible verse picture from You Version Bible app)

Laugh Aloud

 

“During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.” (Hebrews 5:7)

Jesus cried and prayed for people lost in a sinful world.

He cried and prayed because He understood the pain His human form would endure because of dying to save these lost people.

The Father heard Jesus’ prayers and provided the way to save people from the chaos of lostness. The death of Jesus’ human form.

He heard Jesus’ prayers and provided a quick end to Jesus’ suffering while hanging on the cross. The death of Jesus’ human form.

People could have been left in the world’s chaos and Satan’s endless torment. They would understand they would never have the chance to get God’s help once they died. But God, in His love and mercy, made the way for people to receive His forgiveness and cleansing from their sins—-because of His love. By the death of Jesus’ human form.

Jesus could have hung on the cross alive for a day and suffered the agony of suffocation, pain, and thirst. But because of the Father’s love and mercy, He caused Jesus’ suffering in human form to end quickly. Jesus’ human form died.

God’s hearing and intervening in both situations occurred because of His love and mercy, since He is Sovereign and omnipotent.

Look back at the intended bleakness and torment that Satan intended, and LAUGH. Laugh at Satan’s impotence when faced with God’s omnipotence. Laugh at Satan’s small claims of importance when faced with God’s sovereignty.

Laugh because God loves you and has saved you if you have believed in Jesus as your Savior. Satan does not win; God wins in your life because you have believed in Jesus. Because Jesus’ human form died as the necessary sacrifice for the sins of each person and Jesus’ human form arose from death because He is God incarnate. Victor over sin and death. For YOU. For ALL who will believe in Jesus, the Son of God.

Know GOD HEARS you when you pray.

GOD ANSWERS your prayers.

And GOD WINS in the end.

LAUGH

No Temporary Tabernacle

And the Word (Christ) became flesh and tabernacled among us; and we (John and the disciples) saw His glory, glory as belongs to the only begotten Son of the Father, who is full of grace and truth. (John 1:14, paraphrase)

In the Old Testament, God told Moses to build a tabernacle for Him. In it, He would dwell and be with the Israelites as they journeyed to the Promised Land. God told them with what to build the tabernacle and its size, and what furniture and vessels it would contain. Since its construction was of cloth and wood, the tabernacle was easy to assemble and disassemble as the Israelites journeyed to the Promised Land. This tabernacle shone during the night. It was the light of God for the Israelites to see and remember God was among them. A cloud descended upon the tabernacle when Moses entered it to be with God. When Moses came from the tabernacle, his face shone with the glory of God and the people feared death because they recognized they could see God’s glory. They remembered that anyone who gazes upon God would die. The Israelites asked Moses to cover his face after he had been in God’s presence for fear they would die.

John told about Jesus in the first chapter of his gospel. He called Jesus the Light. God was the God light to the Israelites since they left Egypt. God’s light from His being led them as they walked at night. His light showed He was in His tabernacle. God’s light showed God’s presence. Jesus came to earth as a human, bringing God's light and glory among the people. In John 1:9-10, John wrote, Jesus was the true Light. Despite creating the world, Jesus went unrecognized and disbelieved by His own people during His time on earth.

In verse fourteen, John returned to God’s glory and Light, God’s plan revealed through Jesus. John explained the truth about Jesus. Jesus, the Word of God, was born in human flesh. He gave up His throne in heaven. God's plan is to save people from the judgment their sins deserve on judgment day. He desires no judgment or condemnation for anyone. God wants to have an eternal relationship with everybody. He made a way to rescue each person from the sin judgment of separation from Him. John said, “And the Word became flesh and lived among us.” For our sins and God’s love for us, Jesus left His throne to be born as a human, to teach each person about God’s love and plan for their salvation, and then to be the sacrifice needed to pay the penalty for the sins of each person who will believe in Him.

John continued about who Jesus is and testified for himself and the disciples. He wrote, “We actually saw His glory, glory as belongs to the only Son of the Father.” Remember, in the Old Testament, God dwelled in the tabernacle and, later, the temple. His glory shone from the tent and the faces of the men who met with Him. Jesus became God’s glory among the people. Jesus, the Son of God, dwelled with the people. “God with us,” Emmanuel, is Jesus. From Jesus shone God’s glory. Jesus did not lose His divinity when He lived on earth as a man. Divine is who Jesus is. He and God are one. God’s divinity and glory are Jesus’ divinity and glory. Jesus became “God with us” at His birth. The glory of God shone on earth for everyone, not only the Israelites who built the tabernacle and temple.

Jesus’ life on earth showed the truth of who He is. His grace—divine favor, kindness, and love—and His miracles revealed His divinity and glory. Jesus tabernacles with us. He did not merely live in Israel. Jesus showed His glory, power, majesty, and truth as He acted and spoke and, by these, showed the people He is divine. Jesus walked among people. He truly is “God with us.” Jesus revealed and became the gospel plan to rescue people from the death sentence and eternal separation from God their sins deserve. By God’s grace—His undeserved love—Jesus tabernacled among people. God showed He is more than transcendent; He cares what happens in our lives. God is imminent. He is here every moment, walking with us—tabernacling with us—guiding us through life and rescuing us in times of trouble and from our sins. That is the meaning of “God with us”—helping and rescuing us daily. God's salvation plan protects us daily from sin and harm, both now and in eternity.

God became flesh and tabernacled—dwelled—among us. He is, was, and will always be. He is for us, not against us. Are you daily meeting God in the tabernacle He created by the salvation you received? God makes tabernacling with Him available to us through His Spirit dwelling in each believer in Jesus. We Christians are privileged to be with God in every breath we breathe. Draw close to God and be with Him; He is for you.

God is as close as your next breath.

Are you tabernacling with God, spending time with Him each day? He is calling to you.

Do you want closeness to God—the Father, Son, and Spirit—but do not know how? Write to me and I will lead you to know God through the salvation Jesus  gives.

 

Peace

 

What does peace have to do with Christmas? Why do songs contain this word and idea? Why did the angels from heaven proclaim this as part of their herald to the shepherds? Is peace possible in our world? Today’s word study around Christmas, as you have guessed by now, is peace. Let’s consider what peace is, then answer these questions.

In Luke 2:14, the angels proclaimed—heralded—the birth of the Messiah. Prophets and angels foretold the Messiah’s coming for millennia. Prophets and angels taught the Jews to expect His coming. They did not expect the Messiah to come as an infant son of a carpenter from a small town. The Jews expected the Messiah to come with power and authority as a warrior king to oust the Romans from the Jewish lands and reestablish the throne of David. What the angels proclaimed to the shepherds that night, as recorded by Luke in chapter two, did not match the expectations of the Jews. The response from the shepherds of awe and worship showed Jesus transcended status, income, lineage, and education. When the shepherds understood the angels’ proclamation, they felt a sense of peace from God.

The host of angels in Luke 2:14 declared, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace to men on whom His favor rests!” It is fitting that the angels began heralding by exclaiming about God. No one is greater than God, and their proclamation relayed that. Their heralding began like Jesus started the Lord’s Prayer. Both began with a statement about God’s ultimacy and His worthiness of praise. Jesus said, “God’s name is holy,” and the angels sang, “Glory and honor is due to God.” The angels, by starting their proclamation this way, acknowledged God and His sending of them to make this proclamation. It led people to take notice of what they said.

What was the message about which the angels proclaimed? They said, “Peace to men on earth on whom God’s favor rests.” If you are like me, I have sung this song each year and proclaimed God and acknowledged God’s peace, but I have not studied what this whole phrase means. The last prepositional phrase in this sentence affects each of us individually. It tells us to whom God gives peace. First, though, what is the peace God gives? This peace the angels proclaimed God gives comes from the Greek word eirene, which comes from eiro. Eiro means to join and make whole. Peace is a gift from God that makes a person whole. God’s peace is a wholeness that comes from Jesus saving a person by belief in Him as God’s Son—the Savior of humanity. When Jesus saves a person, He makes it possible for a person to have a right (righteous) relationship with God through His forgiveness of his or her sins. As the person grows to know God more each day and grows to be more like Jesus, God grows that person increasingly closer to perfection. That perfection will be complete when the believer enters heaven upon his or her death when his or her glorification occurs. When that happens, the person becomes completely whole, at peace. For now, while still alive on earth, God gives the believer peace and makes him or her whole in heart, mind, and spirit. The person has peace through trust in God and hope in his or her future perfection in heaven.

That thought leads us to understand the last prepositional phrase. The angels sang about peace on earth for men on whom God’s favor rests. The “favor” of God means His goodwill, satisfaction, and good pleasure in the person. How does one get God’s good pleasure, His “well done?” Until a person believes in Jesus and He forgives him or her of his or her sins, God is not pleased with the person; He is not satisfied. The person carries the result of sin in his or her life and God cannot be where sin is, since holiness and sin cannot be in the same place. For this reason, God sent Jesus to earth. Jesus came to cleanse each believer in Him of their wrongdoings (sins) and the stain and guilt of those sins. When cleansed by Jesus, a person can be in the same place with God because Jesus removed the sin stain and guilt from him or her (justification) and provided forgiveness of those sins through His sacrifice of Himself on the cross. How can we have peace with God? By believing in Jesus as our Savior and Lord. Who is to receive the peace of God about what the angels heralded? Any person God favors—each person who believes in Jesus as the Messiah.

Peace is for anyone who believes in Jesus the Messiah. The angels sang this truth. Luke wrote about the gospel of peace in Acts 1:36. Micah prophesied about the Messiah being the Israelites’ peace in Micah 5:5. Peace came from heaven that first Christmas when Jesus was born. The Peacemaker entered the world in bodily form when the Son of God came to live incarnate with humanity. God was no longer merely God of and for us. In Jesus, He was Emmanuel—God with us. God continues to be God with us for each believer by the Holy Spirit of Christ dwelling in him or her.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem entitled I Hear the Bells on Christmas Day became a Christmas carol. It aptly expresses this peace.

I heard the bells on Christmas day,

Their old familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet, the words repeat

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

 

I thought how, as the day had come,

The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along th’unbroken song

Of peace on earth, good will to me.

 

And in despair I bowed by head:

“There is no peace on earth,” I said,

“For hate is strong and mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

 

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,

With peace on earth, good will to men.”

 

Till ringing, singing on its way,

The world revolved from night to day,

A voice and chime, a chant sublime,

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Peace is possible because God gives it to people who have believed in Jesus for salvation. That cold night for the shepherds in Luke 2 seemed to be like any other night protecting their sheep. It was unlike any night before or after for them. Angels came from heaven proclaiming God’s glory and His peace to all who believe in Him for salvation. The shepherds reacted initially with fear. They reacted in another way, too. Luke recorded the shepherds’ response upon hearing the angels’ proclamation. He wrote in 2:15-17,

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” So, they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in a manger. After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had received about Him. (BSB)

Peace is still possible. Wadsworth wrote the poem two years after his wife died and while the Civil War raged. He penned his poem to focus on the peace God gives. Though days seemed dark, he thought of God, who is Light and greater than anything that confronts us. We, like the shepherds, upon hearing the angel’s message today, should proclaim about God’s glory, His Son’s birth, and His peace to anyone who will believe. I promise, like people hearing the shepherds’ testimony in verse eighteen, people will be amazed. Some will then believe and receive salvation from their sins and its guilt.

Offer peace. Herald the birth of Jesus the Messiah.

Living in Love, Not Fear

 

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God is saved, then God remains in him and he in God.

Because of this confession of belief in Jesus and God living in him, we believers have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love and love (God) lives in the person when the person remains in God (love).

By remaining with God and in His love, love is perfected within us. In that way, we may have confidence on the day of judgment of our eternal inheritance with God in His kingdom because we are as He is in this world, living in it but not bound by its temptations and sins. We are saved by Jesus. 

There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love—God’s love— drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. We believers should have no fear of punishment for, by their belief in Jesus, God, with His perfect love, removed the judgment for our sins.

So, any believer who fears has not reached perfection in love. For what do we have to fear since, by Jesus’ death, our sins have been wiped from our name in God’s books. 

Jesus makes believers righteous by His sinless death. God’s love lives in us and we in Him if we remain in a close relationship with Him. As we draw closer to God and become more like Jesus, love is made more and more perfect—complete—in us. Because we have God’s love in us, we believers have no reason to fear. Instead, have confidence in the promise of our hope of eternal life with God. For from God’s love in us, we have no reason to fear punishment. We are walking with Him and growing in love of and from God. 

Taken from 1 John 4:15-18

Freedom

 

“My friends, you were chosen to be free. So don't use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want. Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love.”

— Galatians 5:13 (CEV)

 

This Bible translation seems closest to the meaning of the most often used word, “opportunity”. Other Bible translations say don’t use your freedom as an opportunity, occasion, or incentive to indulge in/satisfy your flesh.

 

After looking at the Greek word Paul used in this verse, it seems the verse should read like this. “Don’t use your freedom from slavery to sin, which is gained through believing in and being saved by Christ, as a reason or excuse to indulge your sinful human desires. Instead use your sacrificially bought freedom as the opportunity to serve each other.” 

 

The freedom about which Paul wrote is freedom from our past sins that held us powerless against future temptation and condemned us to eternal separation from God. This freedom, bought through Jesus’ sinless sacrifice on the cross, gives anyone who believes in Him the power of His Holy Spirit, who dwells in each believer, to overcome the temptation and not to sin. This freedom comes from the power of God, who lives in us through the Holy Spirit. 

 

We have the power, if we accept it from the Spirit, not to sin (indulge our human desires) and  only care for our wants. Instead, we can care for other people. When we indulge our human desires and sin, we turn our back on God, and that often means we’ve harmed at least one person overtly and/or covertly. Sinning hurts God, other people, and, often, oneself.

 

Instead of relying on our own power and then sinning, rely on the Spirit’s power, avoid sin and love other people. By doing this, you love God, too.

No Judgment

 

 

“Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus,”

— Romans 8:1

 

“Now” of this verse seems to be a static point in time, but since God is the author of time and space and is not confined to them, “now” is forevermore for people who have believed in Jesus as God’s Son and the Savior who died for their sins. Each Christian’s “now” of salvation is fulfilled now, but not yet. Not yet because he/she has not died and entered eternity’s door into the presence of God. That “not yet” is the present hope of believers that will be fulfilled. It’s a hope backed by God, the ever-faithful and never-forsaking God. 

 

What is the promise upon which the present and future hope rests? Paul writes that no condemnation will occur to all who believe in Jesus as their Savior. Ultimate condemnation—judgment for sins (wrongdoing)—comes down from ever-holy God to sinful people. This judgment will render unbelievers in Jesus into a  permanent separation from God, a state of torment of endless evil with no good ever to come. This state of being and place is called Hell. See how great is the salvation Jesus died to offer when compared to unending evil with no chance of goodness and mercy.

 

There is now no condemnation for whoever believes in and are in Christ Jesus. 

 

On which side of that great divide between good and evil will you be? If you believe Jesus is God’s Son, who died as the ultimate and final sacrifice for your sins, you are saved and safe from ultimate and tormenting eternal separation from God. If you have not believed in Jesus by the time you die, your future does not hold any hope of goodness, mercy, joy, love, and peace. Your future will entail endless agony at not being able to taste, touch, hear, smell, and see God’s goodness. Your judgement—condemnation—will be sure and secure.

 

What prevents you from believing in Jesus, confessing and repenting of your sins, and asking Him to save you and be your Lord? What part of yourself are you unwilling to give up and, instead, let it lead to your condemnation? Is that really worth being separated from God’s goodness for eternity. Stop now and ask God to show you what separates you from Him. For the sake of your soul, confess, repent, and believe. 

 

Come to know the “now” and “not yet” of the hope of eternal salvation and life with God.

The Crux

 

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

— Galatians 2:20

 

I have purposely cast off—crucified— my old self with its earthly desires and agendas. Why? When I believed in Jesus Christ, I asked Him to cleanse me from sin. If I continue doing what I’d always done, I am not changed or saved. I just give lip service to Christ. When I trusted in Jesus, I entrusted my life, dreams, and future to Him. I gave up my right to myself, so cast off my old sinful, self-centered nature/life. In essence, when Jesus was crucified and I trusted in Him, I crucified my old sinful self and put my whole being now and forever into His hands for His purposes. 

 

This means I do not live to accomplish my agenda; I now live to obey God so others may come to know about and believe in Him. So, Christ lives in me, now. 

 

I live by faith and trust in Jesus, so I do not need to worry about my agenda, safety, or physical needs. He will provide all these just like He provided salvation from my sins. 

 

That’s how much Jesus loves me. Because He literally “loves me to death” (by His own crucifixion), I know I don’t need to worry about things in this life. 

 

CHRIST LIVES IN ME.

Christ Loves me.

Christ Gave Himself up for me, so I can be in an eternal relationship with God now and forever.

 

I can trust my whole being (heart, soul, mind, and body) to the One who chose to die in my place. 

 

Yes, Christ, live in me. I give myself anew to you today.

Trust

 

The first chapter of Mark quickly introduces the readers to Jesus as the Son of God. John the Baptist baptized Jesus and God proclaimed from heaven that Jesus is His Son. At once, Jesus began teaching, healing, and casting out demons with power and authority. People in Capernaum started clamoring to be near Him to watch what He would do. The religious leaders began taking notice of Jesus. They started listening and examining Him to teach, heal, and cast out demons.

Mark's second chapter continues to show Jesus' teaching and doing miraculous things. No one has ever done what Jesus did, except as God empowered him or her being as a prophet or priest. From Mark 2, Jesus told the people He is the Son of Man. The time was right for people to know about Jesus and the plan of salvation.

Jesus’ activities up through Mark 2:12 were generally positive. People expressed amazement at what He did and glorified God. From Mark 2:13, Jesus received “push-back” from the religious leaders. They challenged Him—His power, authority, and teaching. The stories Mark records in 2:13-3:6 generally show Jesus' meeting with negative interactions. The Pharisees and Herodians challenge Jesus. The Pharisees wanted to restore the kingdom of David. The Herodians wanted to restore a Herod to the throne in Judea. These two factions determined to work jointly to kill Jesus. Even though Pharisees and Herodians were political opposites, each faction worked with the other only to persecute Jesus.

With the start of Mark chapter two, Mark used a teaching form called a chiastic structure. A chiastic structure serves to lead readers and hearers to understand the lesson by developing in a way that people understand the purpose of the writer. In the Bible, a chiasm can occur within a verse, paragraph, chapter, or book. Each repetition develops the point. Mark used a chiastic structure in Mark 2:1-3:6. The structure for this passage of verses is as follows.

A.   Healing the paralytic (2:1-12)            

B.    Calling the tax collector and eating with tax collectors and sinners

C.    Question about fasting

B’. Jesus’ defense of the disciples for a Sabbath harvest

A’. Healing the man’s withered hand. 

Parts A and A’ deal with Jesus’ healing people. Sections B, C, and B’ tell about Jesus’ teaching on eating. In A, the religious leaders did not outwardly challenge Jesus. Jesus knew what was in their hearts. He showed and taught He has authority even to forgive sins. (Note: the Jews supposed a person was sick because he or she sinned. That sickness was God’s judgment on the person for his or her sin.) With A’, the religious leaders spoke out and Jesus challenged them on their idea of the Law’s purpose. He used healing people to teach in this instance, too. In B, C, and B’, Jesus dealt with religious leaders challenging Him about disobeying the Law. They judged Him because of with whom He ate, when they ate, and why they ate. In each part of this chiasm, Jesus confronted the religious leaders on their interpretation of the Law and God’s intent of it. Jesus shows His authority is greater than that of the Jewish authorities. Mark 2:1-12 shows who Jesus is and His purpose by using one encounter recorded in twelve verses. These twelve verses retell Him healing and teaching with power and authority and His opposition and vindication. These verses tell who Jesus is, the Son of Man, just as He stated in Mark 2:10 and Daniel foretold in Daniel 7:13-14.

Gathered

¹When Jesus came back to Capernaum a few days later, it was heard that He was at home. ²And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer space, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. (Mark 2:1-2 [NASB])

Remember, near the end of Mark chapter one, Jesus told Simon, Andrew, James, and John, when they found Him praying early in the morning in a quiet place, that He must go to other places in Galilee to preach and cast out demons (Mark 1:38). In chapter two, Mark records Jesus returned home to Capernaum. Capernaum was Jesus’ second home. He considered Simon and Andrew like family.

After Jesus cast out the demons after preaching in the synagogue in Capernaum, people flocked to Him. Jesus captivated them with His power and authority in His teaching, healing, and casting out demons. They wanted to witness Him do more. Some may have considered Him to be more than a magician or an outstanding teacher. No matter why people followed Him in droves, returning home to Capernaum showed how large of a crowd sought to observe and listen to Him. Mark wrote, “And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer space, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them” (NASB).

Jesus returned home to Capernaum. A vast crowd of people waited for Jesus to talk. No room in the house or near the door remained. People peeked in the window. They climbed onto the roof to listen to Jesus. Jesus came back to Capernaum. He did what He told the four men He had to do. Jesus preached the word. He taught about the Father and His words. Jesus speaking the word was a key part of His purpose. It was central to His ministry on earth. It became central to the Church’s ministry (Acts 6:4, 8:4, & 17:11, Galatians 6:6, & Colossians 4:3). Jesus drawing a crowd to Himself enabled many people to hear Him teach. Though the crowds and work wearied Him, the message the prophets foretold unfolded before their eyes.

Into the midst of this enormous crowd, four men carried their paralyzed friend. What might these men have concluded as they considered how large a crowd sought Jesus at home? What did they want from Jesus? Why did they suppose He could help their paralyzed friend? What would they do since they could not get near enough to Jesus for Him to look at their friend? God is omnipresent, everywhere present at the same time. He can spot you wherever you are, even at the back of a crowd.

Forgiven

³And some people came, bringing to Him (Jesus) a man who was paralyzed, carried by four men. ⁴And when they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and after digging an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralyzed man was lying. ⁵And Jesus, seeing their faith, said the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:3-5 [NASB])

Mark told of the resolve the men had and what they desperately did to get their friend noticed by Jesus. Jesus noticed the four friends, too. These men accepted if Jesus saw them, He would heal their friend. With that faith, they climbed the roof because they were desperate for a solution. How long did these men ponder their dilemma before going onto the roof? Mark does not say, but he shows their faith as they went upstairs with their paralyzed friend on a pallet. This pallet, some commentators consider, was a thick, quilted mat. Others understand it was like a mattress or army pallet of cloth and two rods. Whatever it was, it would be unwieldy to lower the man through a hole in the roof.

After digging through grass, dried mud, plaster, rock, and/or wood, the four men “let the pallet down” using ropes at each corner. The paralyzed man could not move to lessen injury if the pallet lowered askew. He had to trust his friends. The paralyzed man had learned to trust them since he could not take care of himself. The paralyzed man had faith and agreed to let his friends take him before Jesus, hoping He would heal him. He must have realized that since Jesus could heal his paralysis, He could heal any injury he received if he fell off his pallet. The faith of these men in Jesus, the Healer, gave them hope.

Jesus regarded the faith of the four men and their paralyzed friend. He recognized their realization of His power and authority. These five men acknowledged Jesus could do what was necessary to heal the paralyzed friend. Jesus had more in store for them that day than they expected. After seeing the faith of these five men, He said, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (vs. 5). Jesus understood they trusted in Him. He recognized the men had more than just a head faith or an emotional feeling. The trust of these five men in Jesus showed itself by visible actions. Jesus rewarded the men’s faith that, when faced with obstacles, kept strong. Do you stand firm in your faith in Jesus when difficulties confront you? God said He would never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6 & 8, 1 Chronicles 28:20, and Hebrews 13:5). Jesus reminded people of this promise. He did not leave or forsake this man and the hope his faith gave him. Jesus rewarded his faith with forgiveness. Forgiveness was more than the five men sought, but the relief it gave must have been breathtaking.

Jesus did not heal the man first. He addressed the Jews’ understanding of why a person is sick. Jews considered sickness of any kind a punishment from God for a person’s sins. Jesus addressed that idea by first telling the man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” He did not say, “I forgive your sins.” He used a passive verb to show He acted for God, like rabbis act for God, as a mediator for this man. Jesus knows each person sins. The Jews understood that, too. They offered sacrifices to God regularly to atone for their sins. Jesus did not say He healed the man. He offered the man what he needed most: forgiveness. Forgiveness did not cure the man of his paralysis. The people recognized this.

The five men wanted to be in front of Jesus. Obstacles did not keep them from Him. Jesus saw each of these men. He recognized them and rewarded their faith in Him. Though they had not sought forgiveness, when the paralyzed man received it, he undoubtedly felt relieved. The paralyzed man might have thought, “Jesus knew what I needed most.” Regarding the religious leaders, Jesus raised two issues. By what authority does Jesus forgive sins? What is the relationship between sin and sickness?

Restored

⁶But some of the scribes were sitting there and thinking it over in their hearts. ⁷Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God alone? ⁸Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were thinking that way within themselves, said to them, “Why are you thinking about these things in your heart? ⁹Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk?’ ¹⁰But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” He said to the paralyzed man, “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet, and go home.” And he (the once-paralyzed man) got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:6-10 [NASB])

The scribes of the synagogues dedicated their lives to copy the Torah. They taught at the synagogues what they had learned from rabbis’ teaching. The scribes watched Jesus heal and forgive the paralyzed man. They contemplated what the five men did and what Jesus said to the paralyzed man because. They considered how He taught like one with authority. The scribes might have thought in their hearts, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming!” (vs. 6) They considered and wondered if what Jesus taught was in the Law? Was it a fabricated teaching? Teaching fabricated ideas, as if they are from God, is blasphemy. Should the scribes trust what Jesus said? Should they challenge Him and report Him to the rabbis?

The scribes’ prime consideration for these questions was, “Who can forgive sins except God alone?” (vs. 7) They did not recognize Jesus as the Son of God yet. For Jesus to forgive a person of his or her sins meant the person did not need the Law to receive God’s forgiveness. Sinners did not need priests as their mediator. This meant they would not be offering a sacrifice at the temple for their sins. That would decrease the priests’ allotment of food for themselves and their families. Under the laws, God allowed only priests to be intermediaries and only God can forgive sins. God ordained them to fulfill the rituals of atonement, not anyone else. That means they saw Jesus as assuming God’s position of forgiving sins and assuming their positions as intermediaries between people and God. Thus, they judged Jesus guilty of blaspheming for assuming He is God. The Torah teaches the judgement of any person who blasphemes is death (Leviticus 24:10-23).

Jesus was aware of the scribes’ reflections. As part of the Godhead, He knows all things. Jesus realized the scribes did not look positively at Jesus forgiving a man for his sins. He knew they considered Him to be blaspheming. Instead of the scribes speaking out and challenging Him, Jesus challenged them about their deliberations. Because Jesus understood their thoughts, He proved to them He is God, though they did not want to admit it. What does God detect when He searches your heart? Doubt, fear, or trust?

How did Jesus confront these scribes? He said in verse nine, “Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your pallet, and walk?’” Which is physically easier to say of these two statements? The first statement has six syllables, and the second has nine syllables. The first statement is easier to pronounce. Since Jews concluded sins cause sickness, if a person got well, that meant God had forgiven the person’s sins.

Mark wrote what Jesus said in verse ten. Jesus said, “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Jesus realized the people wanted visible proof of Jesus’ authority to forgive sins. With Jesus’ question, He offered a way to prove His authority. Jesus healed the man to authenticate what these people could not verify by sight — forgiveness. People cannot see forgiveness, but they can see when a person is well. Even though saying “Your sins are forgiven” is easier, Jesus knew He would confirm Himself as the Messiah by healing the man. The people would see the healed man and know God forgave Him. Jesus, as God’s mediator, would prove to the scribes and other people He is who He says He is, the Son of Man.

Jesus used the Son of Man title fourteen times in Mark’s gospel. Daniel 7:13-14 is where this title first occurs in the Bible. In these verses, God gives the Son of Man eternal dominion, honor, and a kingdom. The “Son of Man” does not have the military connotations the title “Messiah” has. The Jews expected the Messiah to be the victor, who delivers them from Roman rule and reestablishes the kingdom of David. If the scribes had understood Jesus used this title, “Son of Man,” as Messianic, they would have understood Jesus’ purpose earlier. But the scribes misunderstood its meaning as Jesus used it. Do we have the right idea of who the Messiah is? Do we want Him just to be our hero? Are we expecting Him to be like the Son of Man, about whom Daniel prophesied?

With this title attributed to Himself, Jesus proclaimed in verse eleven, “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet, and go home.” He declared His authority to the scribes and the people by ordering the paralytic to do these three things. Notice Jesus did not discuss His command with the paralytic’s four friends. The faith was the paralytic man’s own. He himself had to accept the authority Jesus has over sin and illness. This man had to trust in Jesus to enable him to arise. He had to act on this belief by picking up his pallet and going home, too. The paralytic man’s mental belief showed in his outward actions.

With the healing of the once-paralytic man, Jesus showed His divinity. He can powerfully and authoritatively forgive sins and heal. Jesus showed who He is by His power and authority. The people were “amazed,” Mark said in verse twelve. They glorified God.

The scribes did not express amazement, according to Mark’s retelling. They realized Jesus’ success came at their expense. The scribes and other religious leaders had lots to lose if Jesus is who He said He is. He would become the mediator and high priest for the Jews and others who believed in Him. Jesus, being the Messiah, would make the priests and sacrifices redundant. The priests would lose their income and their status in the community.

In Mark 1:32-34, Mark stated an entire city gathered to see Jesus heal the sick and cast out demons. This time, they saw the declaration of forgiveness by Jesus. They listened to His grand declaration of His right to do it. Jesus, Mark wrote, has the power to forgive sins, to heal, to cast out demons, and to preach and teach.

5 people’s faith took the man to Jesus.

1 man’s faith accepted health and forgiveness.

Everyone glorified God and exclaimed.

Application and Conclusion

We may not be sick now, but we have been. We may not have demons, but we could have in the future. We might not trust in Jesus, but we can. People came to see Jesus for themselves, to listen to what He taught, and to watch as He healed and cast out demons. Until this moment in Mark, people had not seen Jesus authoritatively forgive sins as if He is God. They glorified God because they saw Jesus heal a man and forgive him. Does your faith cause everyone around you to be amazed and to glorify God because of what He did?

We come to the point the Jews faced that day. Will we believe in Jesus? The four men considered Jesus could heal their paralyzed friend. The people accepted for themselves that the stories they had heard about Jesus. The scribes were curious. They later felt fear-fear He would take away their way of life and fear He would lead the Jews astray. The religious leaders were the keepers of God’s word and the way to go before God from a distance. Each of these people encountered Jesus from hearing about Him, seeing Him, and some, by believing in Him as the Son of Man. Each of us today encounters Jesus through reading this Bible study, reading the Bible, hearing about Jesus, and seeing miraculous healing. We face Jesus in our minds, hearts, bodies, and spirits. Jesus speaks to our spirits before and after we have professed faith in Him for salvation.

Today, you can hear about and come to have faith in Jesus through watching a church service on television, on the internet, or in person. You have the chance to meet Him on your own by reading your Bible and by praying. The four friends had faith in Jesus to heal their paralytic friend. It was the paralytic’s faith in Jesus that healed and forgave him. Today is your day to decide who Jesus is for you. Is He the Son of Man, the One who has dominion, power, and glory, as Daniel declared? Will you believe in Jesus by faith that Jesus is the Son of God who came to be your mediator and forgiver of your sins so you can be in God’s presence now and forever?

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 [NASB])

For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. (Romans 3:28 [ESV])

And to the one who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. (Romans 4:5 [ESV])

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1 [ESV])

Being forgiven and saved from the judgment you deserve because of your sins comes by faith in Jesus. Nothing you can do will earn salvation. Just faith.

Nevertheless, knowing that a person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law; since by works of the Law, no flesh will be justified. (Galatians 2:16 [NASB])

 

More than Jams and Pies

“Now there were some Greeks (Greek God-fearers) who were going up to worship at the feast; these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ Philip came and told Andres; Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus. And Jesus answer them, saying, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.’” (John 12:20-23 [NASB])

I remember going to a farm and picking berries when I was a child. A few times mom and I picked strawberries, and other times we picked blackberries. Just thinking about them-puncturing their skin with my teeth and the sweet juice bursting across my taste buds-was enough reason to want to get to the farm quickly. With that idea on my mind, I and sure I ate half the berries in the first fifteen minutes I picked. I did not think of what more I could do with them. I just wanted to taste those sun-ripened berries in my mouth immediately.

This same idea applies to the Greek God-fearers in John 12:20-21. They had heard about Jesus and the miraculous things He did and taught, so they wanted to see Him. These Greeks approached Philip, one of Jesus’ disciples, and said just that. He said, “We want to see Jesus.” They did not mentally fathom God had a greater meaning to Jesus’ life on earth. These Greeks wished just to see this famous man-teacher and miracle-worker.

Jesus’ reply to Andrew and Philip, when they told Him about the Greeks, seems not to answer what these two men said to Him. He said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” What?! How does Jesus’ statement relate to the what Andrew and Philip told Him? Look again at what Jesus said and for what the men asked. The Greeks literally wanted to see Jesus. They did not seek Him as the Son of God, the Son of Man, and the Messiah. These Greeks did not see Jesus’ purpose beyond His earthly life. They were not the only ones. The Jews who laid palms on the ground as the donkey carrying Jesus trod into Jerusalem saw Him as a warrior King who would take back the lands Israel had lost since Solomon’s reign (vs 13). Before that, Judas did misunderstand the symbolic significance of Mary washing Jesus’ feet with perfume (vs. 1-8). He saw the act as wasteful. The crowd of Jews went to see the man (Jesus) who raised Lazarus from the dead (vs. 9). The chief priests saw Jesus as interfering their leading the Jews (vs. 10) Each of these individuals and groups of people only saw the man, Jesus. They did not look beyond the immediate to the eternal and spiritual purpose of His life on earth.

Going back to our berry picking analogy, if when I picked berries, I thought ahead to the jams and pies I could make with them, that is, if I looked beyond the berries themselves to what they could become, I might have been able to take more home for future purposes. A similar thing could have occurred to each of the people in John 12. If they had looked beyond the body of the man, Jesus, beyond their blinders and biases, they could have seen Jesus, the Son of Man, the Son of God, and the Messiah. These people would have believed, and Jesus would have saved them from their sins and into eternal life with God. Instead, they just saw the miracle-worker, teacher, and man. These people saw what their earthly eyes saw and nothing more. They did not look at Jesus through spiritual eyes. The Greeks and Jews wanted the Messiah but did not expect Him yet or did not expect Him to be in the form in which He arrived.

Because of this, Jesus answered the request by the Greek God-fearers to see Him with verse twenty-three. He said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” People clamored to see Jesus, but they did not see accurately. When a person sees the truth about Jesus Christ, then he or she will lay down his or her right to his or her life, just as Jesus did. That means they will die to themselves and live following and serving Jesus, so they will bear fruit. They will live as Jesus did, so that all people may come to know Jesus truly, in heart, mind, and spirit. When people follow and serve Him instead of seeking their own way, those people abide with Christ and the Father, and the Father will honor them.

Berry picking is much more significant than just getting the berries from the plant into our mouths. Seeing Jesus is much more significant than recognizing Him. Seeing Jesus should cause us to see who He is as the Christ and what His purpose is for now and the future then following and serving Him. The hour has come for Him to be glorified in us.

The pies and jams cannot get made if we eat all the berries when we first touch them. Jesus is more than just for now, the moment we first see Him. God has a plan for more than one moment. His plan is for eternity because of His love for each of us. See beyond the first moment with the berries. Make jams and pies, then share them with your neighbors and friends. Jesus is for everyone. Share Him with your neighbors and friends.

“And Jesus cried out and said, ‘He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me.’” (John 12:44-45 [NASB])

Life and Breath

Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?” (John 16:31 [ESV])

Imagine you work for a diving company and your job is to teach people how to dive and to lead them on underwater adventures. One day, you forget to check the air in your air tank. You take people for a dive and within ten minutes, while you are deep in the ocean, you realize your air tank is empty. When you realize this, you panic then make excited motions for everyone to surface, but you don’t have enough oxygen to surface without getting decompression sickness; you get the “bends.” Sometimes people die when this happens.

Christians can get the “bends,” too. We forget to check with our source of Life and salvation each day and moment, then live in our own strength. We run into problems and wonder why that happens since we are Christians. The problems come because we walk in our own strength instead of seeking God who is our Source of life and strength.

As Christians, we know salvation from God came at a moment in time. Many of us remember the date on which we asked Jesus to be our Savior and Lord. Salvation is not only in the past but is also in our present and future. Only God can save us, and He gives us the power to continue to be saved from sin today and have the hope of eternity with Him. Still, many of us say to ourselves, “Okay, I’m saved, now I can go about my life. God’s got me.” God saved us from hell, but we must work out our salvation. We must put shoes on it and live it out. Jesus told His disciples in John 14:23-24,

If anyone loves Me, he will keep my word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. Whoever does not love Me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me. [ESV]

Jesus equated obedience to Him and the Father as love. He said if you love Me, you will obey Me. In John 8:31-32, Jesus told the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” [ESV]

These statements by Jesus are often starkly different to how we live our lives. We think we’ve been saved, so let’s get on with the business of living. When decisions need to be made, we consider ourselves able to make those choices either from our own intellect or the counsel of friends, professionals, or the internet. “Why bother God with everyday needs. I’ve got it,” we may say within ourselves. Or, another possibility is that we’ve heard from God, had a vision, and proceeded to work as He led us, then we just got into the task to which God told us to work and broke off communication with Him. We don’t talk to Him daily about the work, praying over it for guidance, safety, and provision. We get into the rote task of just doing the work. This, too, is not working out our salvation, as Paul spoke of it in Philippians 2:12-13. In this passage, Paul said,

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence, but much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. [ESV]

Keeping God’s word, that is obeying Him, shows our love for Him. When we get lost in the myriad tasks of living, we forget to seek Him and His will, and instead do the next best thing we know. When we do that, we show our limited love of God. If instead we keep God’s word, we put shoes on our faith in God and work out our salvation. The purpose of working out our salvation is to grow more in our relationship with God, become more Christlike, and show/tell others about Jesus. Paul said to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We realize our salvation only comes from God through Jesus. It doesn’t come from ourselves. We recognize God’s might, sovereignty, and mercy. We come before Him in awe and reverence of who He is. On top of this, we realize what we can’t ever do. We cannot save ourselves, but we can grow in our relationship with God and show our love to Him by obeying Him and living out His love and salvation so the people of the world can know about Him. This is working out our salvation.

Today, the questions for us Christians are: Do you love God? Do you obey Him? Do you seek Him daily to grow your relationship with Him and to live each moment of your day in His strength and power and with His wisdom and understanding doing His will? Alternatively, did you believe in God for salvation, but then only speak to Him in dire emergencies? Did you listen to Him tell you what to do, what ministry He wanted you to join Him in, then not turn to Him for daily guidance? That creates burn-out and frustration with the people to whom you are ministering. Possibly you are thinking, “Those people are ungrateful; they don’t try to help themselves by learning what I am teaching them. They just want me to keep giving and helping but do nothing for themselves.” Stop. Consider what you are thinking or saying. That is not God’s attitude. You’ve forgotten to go to the Source of your vision, resources, guidance, and love. Instead of having the mind of Christ, you follow the thoughts of your own mind. Consider what Paul said of the mind of Christ in Philippians 2:5-11. He said Jesus was humble. He emptied Himself by becoming a servant in the likeness of man. Jesus was obedient to God even to the point of dying on a cross. Is that the mind you have? Do you love the Father so much you would obey Him in anything? Do you hear His voice in prayer, Bible study, and preaching? Have you humbled yourself to do God’s will?

Loving God, obeying Him, and having the mind of Christ come from working out your salvation. Without seeking to love God daily, living will lead you to get the “bends” like scuba divers can get. You can’t have breath without Life, and you can’t have Life without breath. God gave and gives us life and breath. One without the other is not living; it’s gasping for breath. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known my Father also.” (John 14:6-7a [ESV])

All Christians should be working out their salvation. If you aren’t, you need to ask yourself if you truly know Jesus and the Father.

Loving God leads to working out your salvation.

Working out your salvation means loving God.

 You can’t have one without the other.

If you are not a Christian, today you can make that decision. Recognize Jesus is the Son of God who came to die the death penalty for your sins. Confess your sins and repent of them. Ask Jesus to forgive you. Give Him your life to be your Savior and Lord. If you made this decision today, contact me through messaging or through the contact form on my website. I want to pray for you and connect you with a Bible-based church, if possible.

Lord, I made a decision to follow You, but sometimes I end up thinking of answers for myself and looking to guidance from within myself. I consider I am smart enough to do what You ask, and I forget to seek You for guidance even on the miniscule decisions that need to be made. I’ve not been working out my salvation. I’ve not been loving You through obedience to You. Forgive me for forgetting You or for putting You on the sidelines of my life. I need You every moment of each day otherwise I am not living; I’m just gasping for air. Lord, help me work out my salvation with fear and trembling. Help me remember You and to seek Your will in all things. Use me to tell someone about You and to help them in Your name. Forgive me of my sins of independence and making myself more important that You. You are sovereign God, the One who knows all things, has all power, and does good in all things. I am sinful and do not. I am not You. Lord, here’s my life again; I give it back to You. Amen.

Stagnant, Stingy, or Streaming

Jesus said to them, ‘My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its deeds are evil.’ (John 7:6-7 [NASB])

As you read this conversation between Jesus and His brothers, did questions arise in your mind? Was your heart pricked? Did what Jesus say to His brothers hit home for you? Let’s consider this passage and a few others. First, let’s consider a metaphor.

Have you ever been in or heard of a boat that sprung a leak? What emotion do you think the people on the boat felt? Fear? Panic? Confusion? Doubt? Security? Faith in the boat’s ability to get you to shore? If we allow waters to flow into us that are not Living Water, we will sink. If we allow things of this world, deceiving teachers and preachers, and other religions to invade our mind and take residence there, we will sink.

After Jesus told His brothers He would not go to the feast in Jerusalem because it wasn’t His time yet, He stayed in Galilee a while longer then made His way to Jerusalem in secret. When Jesus went to Jerusalem during the feast, He entered to the temple to teach. The Jews were astonished at His teaching because the Rabbis never educated Him. Jesus challenged the religious leaders on why they wanted to kill Him. The crowd thought He had a demon. Jesus challenged both these groups of people. Others in the crowd questioned among themselves why the religious leaders had not killed Jesus yet. After that, Jesus began to teach He was from God and sent by God. The religious leaders became more fervent to seize Him while some of the crowd believed in Him. This latter caused the Pharisees to send officers to capture Jesus. Jesus challenged them again when He said, “You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” His proclamation perplexed them even more.

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus told the people if anyone was thirsty to come to Him and drink. He then proclaimed, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ (John 7:38) This Living Water, John explained, was the Spirit of God who would live in everyone who believed in Jesus. The questions from above about the boat with a hole fit with this idea. Do we have Living Water flowing through us, keeping us buoyant, giving us direction, teaching and guiding us, and encouraging us? Or, do we have water flowing into us, overwhelming us, and causing us to sink? If the answer to the first question is yes, then we won’t sink, but what the Spirit, the Living Water, does in us proceeds from us to others. This Living Water is not from a stagnant, non-flowing pond or lake. It comes from a continually flowing source of water, from the throne of God, and it brings nourishment to us and to others we meet. Jesus meant this when He said “rivers of living water” will flow. Will flow is a continuous verb. It starts at a point in time when a person believes in Jesus and continues forever from God.

What are we doing with the water that arises in our lives? Are we grabbing a pail to bail it out of our boats? Or, are we allowing the Living Water, not the world’s idea of water, complete reign in our lives so when people see, listen to, or receive help from us, they recognize God and see, hear, and receive from Him? If we don’t believe in Jesus, all we have is stagnant water by which we can quench our thirst, but not grow or have eternal life. If we believe in Jesus, we will have Living Water and eternal life with Christ. Our water, the Living Water within us, will stream. That stream won’t be stingy, but vibrant and flowing.

Consider John 7:6-7 again. Jesus told His brothers who did not believe in Him as the Messiah their time was always opportune. The people of Jerusalem would not harm them because they did not hate them; they did not testify about Jesus being the Messiah. The world could not hate because they did not testify about Christ with their words, thoughts, or actions.

It is our time to go to our Jerusalem and proclaim Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Savior of the world. Do you believe in Him? Do you have Living Water living in you? Or, do you just have ordinary water? If the latter, the world will not hate you because you are of the world and, like them, you do not have eternal life. If you answer yes to the first two questions, what is keeping you from allowing the Living Water to continue to flow through you?

Are you stagnant, stingy, or streaming?

Be a living witness of Jesus Christ as your Savior

by allowing the Living Water to flow inside and from you.

Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.   (Colossians 2:6-7 [NASB])

Lord, so many times I have failed to be a living witness to You as I go through my days. I allow my to do list to keep me from seeing You work or obeying You. I’ve allowed my plans and agendas to master me instead of allowing You to be my Master. When this happens, I become easily frustrated in the day and my emotions become my master. Lord, help me continually to be aware of You each day. Grow me from the root You planted in me so I continue to walk in You. Establish my faith in You so nothing formed against me will make me fall and fail You. Lord, build me on the foundation Christ became for me so I stand strong for You. Use me as Your instrument to share the Living Water to other people so they will come to know You and grow in their faith in You. I have failed You, Lord, but make me grow so I fail you less with each new day coming. Thank you for Your love, grace, and mercy. Without these from You, I would fall. Thank you for being Creator, Savior, and Master of all things. In Jesus name, Amen.