Archive for category: GAMEtime Sharing

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 8:12-20.  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 8:12 (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.”

On verse 12:  Throughout the book of John, Jesus uses some of the most basic pictures that represent life, like bread and water, to describe Himself and to show how He and life go hand in hand.  He calls himself the bread of life (John 6:35).  He says that for those who believe in Him, streams of living water will flow from within (John 7:38).  And now, after using life-giving images like bread and water, Jesus brings up another image: “I am the light of the world”.  Just as our world cannot survive without light, so we can’t live without Jesus.  Like light, Jesus brings energy, warmth, hope, joy, strength and clarity to our lives.  That is why when you have Jesus, you have the light of life.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 7:37-52.  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 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 streams of living water flowing from within them.  Streams of living water are a reference to the Holy Spirit. 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 7:14-24.  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 7:14 (NIV)
14  Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach.

On verse 14:  The Feast of Tabernacles lasted 8 days.  According to some scholars, it had been approximately 18 months since the last time Jesus visited Jerusalem.  Many were expecting Jesus to make a public appearance at the Feast, but Jesus does not appear when everyone expects.  Only when the Feast is halfway through did Jesus begin to teach in the temple courts.  There he amazes the crowd with his teaching.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 6:60-71.  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 6:60-71 (NIV)
60  On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
61  Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?
62  What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before!
63  The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

On verses 60-71:  Upon hearing Jesus talk about the importance of eating his flesh and drinking his blood (symbolic for believing in Jesus) (v51-58), many no longer followed Jesus (v66), leaving only a remnant such as Jesus’ 12 disciples (v67-69), although Judas would also later leave Jesus (v70-71).
What can we learn from this?  When you read the whole chapter of John 6, you will notice that people followed Jesus for different reasons. A great crowd followed Jesus at first because they saw him do miraculous signs for the sick (v2). People from that same crowd continued to follow Jesus because they had their fill of food that Jesus miraculously provided and were hoping to get more (v24-26). But then on hearing more of what Jesus had to say, many would desert Jesus (v66) leaving only a remnant who would continue to follow him. 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 6:41-51.  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 6:41-43 (NIV)
41  At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
42  They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
43  “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered.
 
On verses 41-43:  Even after God had given the Israelites in Moses’ time bread from heaven in the form of manna, they grumbled (Exodus 17:3).  When God gave the Israelites the true bread from heaven which is Jesus, what did they do? They grumbled as well (v41, 43).  Now if God can’t please everyone, what makes you think you can please everyone?  Don’t live for the approval of others.  Rather, live to please God.