Archive for month: February, 2021

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 9:1-12.  Let’s go!

John 9:1-3 (NIV) 
1  As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 
2  His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 
3  “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

On verses 1-3:  When the disciples saw a man blind from birth, the disciples immediately assumed that the man’s blindness was somebody’s fault.  The only question for them was “Who is to blame?”  But Jesus didn’t play the blame game.  Instead, Jesus explains that the reason why this man was born blind was not due to this man’s sins or his parents’ sins, but so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.  What can we learn from this?  When God allows pain in your life, it is not because God is not there or He doesn’t care, and it’s not necessarily because you have sinned.  Rather God allows pain and hardship ultimately because He has plans to display His power and glory through your life in ways that neither you nor others could have foreseen.  Pain is a canvas on which God loves to paint His glory.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 8:48-59.  Let’s go!

John 8:48-59 (NIV) 
48  The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?” 
49  “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 
50  I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 
51  I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 
52  At this the Jews exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. 
53  Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” 
54  Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 
55  Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. 
56  Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” 
57  “You are not yet fifty years old,” the Jews said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” 
58  “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 
59  At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

On verses 48-59:  Here in these verses Jesus makes some incredible claims:

–        Jesus claims that if you obey his word, you will never die (v51)

–        Jesus claims that he has special knowledge of who God is (v55)

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 8:12-20.  Let’s go!

John 8:12-20 (NIV) 
12  When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 
13  The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” 
14  Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 
15  You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 
16  But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 
17  In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. 
18  I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” 
19  Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 
20  He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come.

On verses 12-20:  I find it powerful and interesting to think that when Jesus said these things about him being the light of the world (v12), giving people the light of life (v12), passing judgment on no one (v15), and standing with the Father (v16), Jesus said all these things “in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put” (v20).  In other words, even as people were giving their imperfect offerings for God, Jesus was right there, being given as God’s perfect offering for people. 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 8:1-11.  We’ll also take up John 7:53 as part of it.  Let’s go!

John 7:53-8:1 (NIV) 
53  Then each went to his own home.
1  But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

On 7:53-8:1:   Why did Jesus go to the Mount of Olives?  To pray.  See, for example, Luke 22:39-41.  This was an important secret to Jesus’ success: Jesus prioritized time praying to the Father.  He would go out of his way to do so, and in so doing he experienced a peace, a power and a wisdom that the world could not give.  As we like to say at Thrive, much prayer, much power.  Little prayer, little power. No prayer, no power.  Be a person of prayer and you will experience God’s power.

John 8:2-6a (NIV) 
2  At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.
3  The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group
4  and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
5  In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”
6  They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him…

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 7:37-52.  Let’s go!

John 7:37-39 (NIV) 
37  On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.
38  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”
39  By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

On verses 37-39:  Jesus, who often sat when he taught, stands for emphasis and makes the invitation for all who are thirsty to come to him and drink.  The promise Jesus publicly gives here is the same promise Jesus privately gave to the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:13-14: that those who believe in him will have flowing from within them streams of living water.  Streams of living water are a reference to the Holy Spirit.