he avoided the temptation of power

Posted on June 5, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky June 2018 (8)

he avoided the temptation of power

Devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2403

John 6:10-15

Joh 6:10 Jesus said, “Make the men recline.” There was plenty of grass in that place; so they reclined. The men numbered about five thousand.
Joh 6:11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks he distributed them to those who were reclining– so also with the fish, as much as they wanted.
Joh 6:12 When they were full, he told his disciples, “Collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted.”
Joh 6:13 So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces from the five barley loaves that were left over by those who had eaten.
Joh 6:14 When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This truly is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
Joh 6:15 This is why, when Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

he avoided the temptation of power

Last year, when I was visiting churches in Japan, I visited a castle, and learned that the ruler who built it had solidified his power by hosting a ceremonial tea ritual with many of his underlings. The tea ritual helped the people to see him as benevolent — a provider. No doubt, the crowd of men who participated in this first wave of the miracle saw Jesus in the same light, which explains why they wanted to immediately force him to become their king. Anyone who can provide food like that must certainly be able to deal with the Roman menace.

Jesus returns to the solitude of the mountain. He was there not to deliver the people from bondage to Rome, but from the bondage of sin. To do so, he had to avoid the temptation of power, and sacrifice himself for them, and us.

Thank you Jesus, for avoiding power, and seeking to sacrifice yourself for our redemption.

Posted in atonement, Jesus Christ, the cross | Tagged | Leave a comment

always enough

Posted on June 4, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky June 2018 (4)

always enough

Devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2402

John 6:1-9

Joh 6:1 After this, Jesus went to the shore of the Sea of Galilee (the Tiberias).
Joh 6:2 A massive crowd was following him because they were watching the signs that he was performing by healing the sick.
Joh 6:3 Jesus went up a mountain and sat down there with his disciples.
Joh 6:4 Now the Passover, a Jewish feast, was near.
Joh 6:5 So when Jesus looked up and noticed a massive crowd coming toward him, he asked Philip, “Where will we buy bread so that these people can eat?”
Joh 6:6 He asked this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Joh 6:7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread wouldn’t be enough for each of them to take a little snack.”
Joh 6:8 One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,
Joh 6:9 “There’s a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish– but what are they for so many?”

always enough

John’s version of this story introduces the idea that Jesus and his disciples had already climbed a mountain, and were resting at the top when they saw the massive crowd coming to Jesus. It was a rather stupid thing to do to climb a mountain with no food. But the crowd was desperate to see Jesus. John mentioned this fact because he included stories that emphasized who Jesus is. Jesus knew that he could provide for this crowd. Even if a few more had thought to bring lunch that day, it still would not be enough. Jesus is always enough.

LORD, thank you for always being enough for us.

Posted in Jesus Christ, miracles | Tagged | Leave a comment

no love for God

Posted on June 3, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky June 2018 (3)

no love for God

Devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2401

John 5:41-47

Joh 5:41 “I do not accept acclaim from people,
Joh 5:42 but I know you– that you have no love for God within you.
Joh 5:43 I have come in my Father’s name, and yet you don’t accept me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept that one.
Joh 5:44 How can you believe, since you accept acclaim from one another but don’t seek the acclaim that comes from the only God?
Joh 5:45 Do not be thinking that I will accuse you to the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope.
Joh 5:46 Because if you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.
Joh 5:47 But if you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe my words?”

no love for God

Jesus’ scathing condemnation of his critics included the statement that they had no love for God within them. He implied that Moses’ words accuse them of this deficiency. Moses commanded the people of Israel to love God with all their entire beings (Deuteronomy 6:5; 11:1; 11:3; 13:3; 30:6). It was to be the core motivation of the old covenant. Yet, Moses also predicted the coming of Jesus (Deuteronomy 18:15-22). Yet these critics from Jesus’ generation rejected him, and so rejected Moses, whom they claimed to follow.

If we really love God, we will accept his Messiah. We will listen to his words, and believe in him.

LORD, increase our devotion to Jesus, and trust in his words.

 

 

Posted in Jesus Christ, love, Moses | Tagged | Leave a comment

the word residing

Posted on June 2, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky June 2018 (2)

the word residing

Devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2400

John 5:36-40

Joh 5:36 “But I have a more significant testimony than John’s because of the works that the Father has given me to complete. These works I am doing testify about me that the Father has sent me.
Joh 5:37 The Father who sent me has himself testified about me. You have not heard his voice at any time, and you haven’t seen what he looks like.
Joh 5:38 You don’t have his word residing in you, because you don’t believe the one he sent.
Joh 5:39 You examine the Scriptures in detail because you think you have permanent life in them, and yet they testify about me.
Joh 5:40 But you do not want to come to me so that you may have life.

the word residing

The irony Jesus draws our attention to here is that the very people who are spending their lives studying the Scriptures are those who are missing out on the promise of permanent life. They need to do more than know the Bible. They need to know him. They need to come to him, and believe him. They need the word residing in them.

LORD, we welcome your word residing within us.

Posted in eternal life, Jesus Christ, relationship with God, scriptures | Tagged | Leave a comment

John’s hour

Posted on June 1, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky June 2018 (1)

John’s hour

Devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2399

John 5:31-35

Joh 5:31 “If I were to testify about myself, my testimony is not true.
Joh 5:32 Another one is the testifyer about me, and I know that the testimony he gives about me is true.
Joh 5:33 You sent inquirers to John, and he has testified to the truth.
Joh 5:34 I don’t welcome human testimony, but I speak of these things so that you may be saved.
Joh 5:35 John was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for an hour in his light.

John’s hour

A few months ago, the world said goodbye to evangelist Billy Graham. He made a significant impact on us, because of his simple gospel message. John the Baptist was the world impacting evangelist of his day. He spent his life bringing people to God. When Jesus appeared, he identified him as the Lamb of God.

Jesus speaks of John’s hour. He had a limited time to make an impact on his world. He had an hour to shine. He shone brightly.

LORD, show us how to shine brightly during our hour.

Posted in evangelism, witness | Tagged | Leave a comment

the coming hour

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky May (31)

the coming hour

Devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2398

John 5:28-30

Joh 5:28 Do not be surprised about this, because an hour is coming when all the ones in the tombs will hear his voice
Joh 5:29 and go out– those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done worthless things, to the resurrection of condemnation.
Joh 5:30 “I can do nothing on my own. I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is fair, because I do not seek what I want, but what the one who sent me wants .

the coming hour

As I mentioned yesterday, the healing of the crippled man at the porticoes is the backdrop for this discourse, in which Jesus talks about two hours, a present one, and a future one. Both of these hours have been symbolically represented by the incident, in which Jesus spoke the word, and this crippled man was restored.

The future hour which is coming is the hour of the physical resurrection. Christ’s forgiveness he offers now (in the present hour) does not change our mortality. As time progresses, each of us has a date with death and dust. But there will be a coming hour when we will hear the voice of Christ a second time, and come back alive. That hour will take place when our Savior returns.

Lord, Come!

 

 

Posted in Jesus Christ, resurrection | Tagged | Leave a comment

the present hour

Posted on May 30, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky May (30)

the present hour

Devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2397

John 5:24-27

Joh 5:24 “I am honestly telling you, anyone who hears my word and believes the one who sent me has permanent life and will not go into judgment but has departed from the death to the life.
Joh 5:25 “I am honestly telling you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and the ones hearing will live.
Joh 5:26 Because just as the Father has life in himself, so also he has allowed the Son to have life in himself.
Joh 5:27 And he has allowed him the right to make judgment, because he is the Son of Man.

the present hour

The healing of the crippled man at the porticoes is the backdrop for this discourse, in which Jesus talks about two hours, a present one, and a future one. Both of these hours have been symbolically represented by the incident, in which Jesus spoke the word, and this crippled man was restored.

Now, Jesus talks about an hour which is coming, and is now here. That is the hour of forgiveness. That crippled man was bound by his sin, as Jesus had made clear when he met him in the temple, and told him not to sin again (5:14). Jesus exercised his right to give the offender life again.

This is the hour you and I are in. We can hear the voice of Christ offering forgiveness and the hope of permanent life, believe, and be forgiven.

LORD, draw many to yourself and your forgiveness this hour.

 

Posted in forgiveness, gospel, Jesus Christ, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

death warrant

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky May (29)

death warrant

Devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2396

John 5:19-23

Joh 5:19 Jesus answered that accusation, “I am honestly telling you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only does what he sees the Father doing. Because whatever the Father does, the Son does these things in the same way.
Joh 5:20 Because the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing, and he will show him greater works than these so that you will be amazed.
Joh 5:21 And just as the Father raises the dead and is making them alive, so the Son also makes alive those he wants to.
Joh 5:22 The Father, in fact, is not judging anyone but has given judgment of everyone to the Son,
Joh 5:23 so that all people may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

death warrant

The Jewish officials had charged Jesus with not only abolishing the Sabbath, but even saying God is his own Father, treating himself the same way as God.

Jesus’ answer is “guilty as charged.” He goes on to say that he will not only heal people like God does, making those who are dying alive again. He will also judge people for their sins the way the Father does.

Jesus is not trying to defend his actions based on the cultural expectations of the Jewish people. He is making the case for his own crucifixion. He is writing his own death warrant. He is heading to the cross, because he loves us.

LORD, thank you for your sacrificial love.

 

 

 

Posted in Jesus Christ, the cross | Tagged | Leave a comment

the crime of loving

Posted on May 28, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky May (28)

the crime of loving

Devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2395

John 5:9b-18

John 5:9b Now that day was the Sabbath,
Joh 5:10 and so the Jews said to the one who had been healed, “It is a Sabbath. The law does not allow you to take away your pallet.”
Joh 5:11 He answered them, “The one who made me whole told me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.'”
Joh 5:12 “Who is this man who told you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?” they asked.
Joh 5:13 But the man who was healed had not know who it was, because Jesus had withdrawn into the crowd in the place.
Joh 5:14 After this, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “You see that you are whole. Do not sin any longer, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.”
Joh 5:15 The man went and reported to the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him whole.
Joh 5:16 This is why the Jews began persecuting Jesus because he was doing these things on a Sabbath.
Joh 5:17 Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working too.”
Joh 5:18 Because of this statement, the Jews began trying even harder to kill him, because he was not only abolishing the Sabbath, but he was even saying God is his own Father, treating himself the same way as God.

the crime of loving

In the process of healing this man, Jesus deliberately commanded him to ignore one of the customary Sabbath regulations. That did not set too well with the religious officials. But it was important that this conflict take place, because the issue of Jesus identity was to be the one that would eventually lead him to the cross. He would die between two criminals, but not for a crime. He died because he was God’s Son, doing God’s work — a work that humanity rejected. It was not just God’s love that sent Christ to the world, it was his love that put him on the cross.

LORD, continue your work of loving others through us.

 

Posted in healing, Jesus Christ, love, the cross | Tagged | Leave a comment

grasping at straws

Posted on May 27, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky May (27)

grasping at straws

Devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2394

John 5:1-9

Joh 5:1 After these events, it was Jewish festival time, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Joh 5:2 By the Sheep Gate in the Jerusalem complex there is a pool, called Bethesda in Aramaic, which has five porticoes.
Joh 5:3 Within these a large number of the disabled– blind, lame, and paralyzed had been placed.
Joh 5:4
Joh 5:5 One man was there who had been sick for thirty-eight years.
Joh 5:6 When Jesus saw him lying there and realized he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to become whole?”
Joh 5:7 “Sir,” the disabled man answered, “I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, another goes down ahead of me.”
Joh 5:8 Jesus says to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and start walking.”
Joh 5:9 Instantly the man became whole, picked up his mat, and started to walk. But it was the Sabbath on that day.

grasping at straws

I have had some friends who have faced long periods of terminal illness. It was a sad and terrible time for all of them, and those of us who waited and prayed with them. I do not know why our prayers went unanswered. Someday I will know.

In a desperate attempt to reverse their conditions, my friends usually started taking more vitamins, doing certain exercises — anything that might make a difference. We call it “grasping at straws” which the Cambridge dictionary defines as “trying to find some way to succeed when nothing you choose is likely to work.”

Verse four of this text does not appear in the best manuscripts, but it was probably an accurate description of the reason that the man had been placed among the porticoes.

John included this story to set up the stories of the Sabbath controversies. But it also tells us that Jesus is the one who can make us whole when nothing else works.

Thank you , LORD, for giving us a way when there is no other way.

Posted in healing, Jesus Christ, prayer | Tagged | Leave a comment