Archive for category: GAMEtime Sharing

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 12:37-50.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!
 
John 12:37-41 (NIV)
37  Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.
38  This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39  For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:
40  “He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn–and I would heal them.”
41  Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.
 
On verses 37-41:  John sees the cold-hearted, unbelieving response of many Jews toward Jesus as fulfilling prophecies written by Isaiah about 700 years before.  Quoting Isaiah 53:1 in verse 38 and then Isaiah 6:10 in verse 40, John says that Isaiah spoke wrote these prophecies because he also saw Jesus’ glory.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 12:20-26.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

John 12:20-22 (NIV)
20  Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast.
21  They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”
22  Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

On verses 20-22:  Here we see not just Jews but Greeks wanting to see Jesus.  It’s a reminder that Jesus didn’t just come to be the long-awaited Messiah the Jews were waiting for.  Even more Jesus came to be the saviour that the entire world needs.  That’s why Jesus would talk about having “other sheep that are not of this pen” that he must bring in also (John 15:16).  That’s also why Jesus reached out to a Samaritan woman in John 4, a Roman centurion in Luke 7, and a Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:22. 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 12:1-11.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

John 12:1-3 (NIV)
1  Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
2  Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.
3  Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

On verses 1-3:  At Bethany, a small village just outside of Jerusalem to the southeast, Jesus is at a dinner given in his honor less than a week before Passover.  At the dinner, Lazarus reclines, Martha serves, and Mary worships.  To me this is a good picture of the church.  It’s a place where you can rest like Lazarus, serve like Martha and worship like Mary.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 11:32-44.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

John 11:32 (NIV)
32  When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

On verse 32:  In the Gospels you will find Mary often at Jesus’ feet.  In Luke 10, we see Mary, in an act of spiritual hunger and teachability, listening at Jesus’ feet. In John 12:3, we see Mary, in an act of worship and gratitude, anointing Jesus’ feet with perfume.  Here in verse 32 of John 11, we see Mary, in an act of mourning and grief, weeping at Jesus’ feet.

What can we learn from this?  Whether you’re longing to learn, wanting to worship, or hungry for hope, humble yourself at the feet of Jesus.  You’ll find what you need at Jesus’ feet.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 11:1-16.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!
 
John 11:1-4 (NIV)
1  Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
2  This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.
3  So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”
4  When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”
 
On verses 1-4:  Once again we see Jesus’ view on sickness.  Jesus saw sickness as an opportunity for God to display His power and an opportunity for God to be glorified through how people deal with the sickness.  Likewise, when you see problems in your life, train yourself to see them with Jesus’ eyes.  See your problems not as gravestones marking your death, but as stepping stones to something greater.