true bread from the sky

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky June 2018 (5)

true bread from the sky

Devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2406

John 6:28-33

Joh 6:28 They said to him, “What can we do to work the works of God?”
Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God– that you believe in the one that he sent.”
Joh 6:30 This is why they said “What sign are you going to make so we may see and believe in you?” they asked. “What are you working?
Joh 6:31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert, just as it has been written: He gave them bread from the sky to eat.”
Joh 6:32 Jesus said to them, “I am honestly telling you, Moses didn’t give you the bread from the sky, but my Father gives you the true bread from the sky.
Joh 6:33 Because the bread of God is the one who comes down from the sky and gives life to the world.”

true bread from the sky

God answered Moses’ prayer and gave the manna to the Israelites in the desert. That was a miracle, a work of God. But the people had to believe that work, collect and consume the manna to save themselves from starvation.

Now, Jesus tells his listeners that he is the true bread from the sky. If the people do not listen to him, believe his words, and follow him, they will starve. God has no other means to permanent life.

LORD, thank you for providing the true bread from the sky — Jesus Christ.

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lasting rust

Posted on June 7, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky June 2018 (7)

lasting rust

Devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2405

John 6:22-27

Joh 6:22 The next day, the crowd that had stood on the other side of the sea saw there had been only one boat. They also saw that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone off alone.
Joh 6:23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
Joh 6:24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
Joh 6:25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you happen here?”
Joh 6:26 Jesus answered, “I honestly tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Joh 6:27 Don’t work for the consumable that perishes but for the consumable that lasts for permanent life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.”

lasting rust

I though it interesting that the word John uses here (the word I translate “consumable”) is not the normal word for bread, or a meal, but the word βρωσις that is elsewhere translated “rust.” Moths and rust are things that consume (Matthew 6:19). But Jesus uses the word here for something that is consumed. Some consumables (like ordinary bread) are eaten and then disappear. They offer temporary maintenance of life, but do not last. Even the miraculous bread and fish the 5000 had experienced was like that.

Jesus offers a consumable that lasts for permanent life. That is his promise to those who believe in him.

Thank you LORD, for the promise of permanent life through Christ.

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when Jesus happens

Posted on June 6, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky June 2018 (6)

when Jesus happens

Devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2404

John 6:16-21

Joh 6:16 When evening happened, his disciples went down to the sea,
Joh 6:17 and got into a boat, and started across the sea toward Capernaum. Darkness had already happened, but Jesus had not yet come to them.
Joh 6:18 And the sea, due to a high wind blowing, began to stir up.
Joh 6:19 This is why after they had rowed about twenty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea. He was nearing the boat, and they were afraid.
Joh 6:20 But he said to them, “I am. Don’t be afraid.”
Joh 6:21 That was why they wanted to take him into the boat, and at once the boat was at the shore where they had intended to reach.

when Jesus happens

What struck me when reading this text in the Greek is how many times John used the word γίνομαι (to become or happen). It appears four times in this short passage (16,17,19,21). Other Gospel writers emphasized other things when relating the story of Jesus walking on water. John appears to emphasize the fact that our experience with Jesus cannot be controlled or manipulated. He is the I AM, so he is going to happen to us. We may not be ready for him when he happens next. We may not be “prayed up” or spiritually in tune. But it is not about the measure of our faith or our frame of mind. It is about him.

LORD, interrupt our lives. Come and happen among us.

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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.

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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.

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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.

 

 

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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.

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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.

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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!

 

 

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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.

 

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