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Lesson 36: We All Need Repeated Cleansing

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.

It was Zechariah who looked forward to a day when a fountain will be opened for cleansing people from sin and impurity (see Zechariah 13:1). The blood of Jesus is that fountain.

This has given rise to these famous lines in the hymn:

There is a fountain filled with blood,
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains. – William Cowper

All of us came to this cleansing fountain at the beginning of our born again experience and were washed clean in it. But then as life moved on we forgot all about it. We started accumulating dirt in our minds as we continued our daily living in this world.

We were not taught to come to this fountain daily and be cleansed. Cleansing is not a one-time act alone. It is a continual process that we have to go through because we live in a sinful world where our minds constantly brush with sin.

Let us take a look at John 13:10. Peter, understood that without Jesus washing his feet he has no part or fellowship with Jesus. Suddenly Peter who never did anything half-heartedly, jumped in with the thought: “Then Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well (see v. 9).”

What did Jesus say in response? Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, . . .” (see v. 10).

Bath (louo) meant a thorough washing of the entire body; wash (nipto) was descriptive of washing a part of the body, such as the face or hands. Jesus was referring to a common social practice of those days to take a bath before you went for a meal. But travel on dusty roads meant that your feet became dirty. Therefore you needed to wash your feet. It was the custom of those days for slaves to wash one’s feet when one came as a guest. But there was no need to take bath once again.

It is the same in Christian life as well. When you come to Jesus the first time you are thoroughly washed clean by his blood. You are justified by faith in his blood (see Romans 5:1, 3:25)—that is the guilt of your sin; past, present, and future is removed or washed away.

But then sin defiles us every day. You don’t lose your salvation when it happens. But the relationship with Jesus suffers. It is like a little child in the family having committed something wrong hiding and not coming into the presence of the father because there has come guilt in between. Now you need a wash (nipto) and not a bath (louo).

Therefore, each day come to Jesus. Come to the fountain of blood that can never be exhausted. Ask for cleansing that daily defilement brings. Like Peter, do not refuse Jesus when he seeks to wash your feet. But also know that when you are his child you don’t need constant baths but continual washing.

Practical application: Don’t go into an emotional guilt trip when you sin. Instead run to this fountain of blood and be cleansed. Time and again, each day, don’t hesitate to run to this fountain. Be cleansed continually that you may enjoy uninterrupted fellowship with Jesus.
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Related Posts:
The Blood of Jesus Christ: What does it mean to you today?
John’s Gospel Easy Notes Lesson 35: Let Us Draw Near to God

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Lesson 35: Let Us Draw Near to God

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

Intimacy with God

Jesus spoke hard-to-digest language when he spoke about having intimacy or close communion with him. He told: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you (John 6:53).”

Do not say this is a hard saying and leave Jesus like many of the disciples did (see John 6:60, 66). Instead move closer to Jesus. This is how it can be done:

As we look at Hebrews 10:22 we are encouraged. It says, “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water (Hebrews 10:22).”

Let us draw near.

Let us draw near because a new and living way has been opened for us. Therefore we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place, that is, heaven’s throne room where God dwells, by the blood of Jesus. (Hebrews 10:19, 20). Tell God that you are approaching by the blood of Jesus. You are then given right of access.

Let us draw near.

Let us draw near because our elder brother Jesus, who is the great priest over the house of God, is already there in God’s presence. He ever lives to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34). When he is there, and you approach by his blood, God is happy to welcome you as a brother or sister of Jesus. Remember Jesus is all mankind’s representative in heaven as he shared fully in our humanity.

Let us draw near.

Let us draw near with a sincere heart. That is a repentant heart. There might be hidden sins in our lives. Ask God to search them out (Psalm 139:23). When you allow the Spirit of God to search you like how a security personnel frisks you before you enter a high security area for hidden things, you have a sincere heart.

Let us draw near.

Let us draw near with full assurance of faith. We need to have faith in the blood of Jesus. We need to have faith that his blood is more than sufficient to take care of our sins.

“There must be a full assurance of faith that there is a Holy Place where we can dwell and walk with God; that the power of the precious blood has conquered sin so perfectly that nothing can prevent our undisturbed fellowship with God.”–The Power of the Blood of Jesus by Andrew Murray

Let us draw near.

Let us draw near is a call has special reference to prayer.

“There are moments of closer fellowship when the soul turns itself entirely to God to be engaged with Him alone.” — Andrew Murray.

Each time you pray just think of the blood of Jesus. Ask God to remove sin in you through the blood of Jesus so that any known or unknown sin will not come as a barrier between you and God. Take time to be conscious that you are now in the very presence of God by the blood of Jesus. And then pray.

“Brethren, ‘let us draw near.’ Let us pray for ourselves, for one another, for everyone. Let the Holiest become our fixed abode [home or place of residence] that we may carry about with us everywhere the presence of our God.” – Andrew Murray

Let us look at cleansing found in Hebrews 10:22. The following is taken from Andrew Murray’s book.

“There is for us a twofold cleansing with water and blood. Baptism with water is unto repentance for laying aside of sin. ‘Be baptized and wash away your sins.’ While the blood cleanses the heart, the inner man, baptism is the yielding of the body, with all its visible life, to separation from sin.”

“The power of the blood to cleanse inwardly cannot be experienced unless we also cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh. The divine work of cleansing by sprinkling of blood and the human work of cleansing by laying aside sin are inseparable.”

“We must be clean to enter into the Holiest. Just as you would never dream of entering in to the presence of a king unwashed, so you cannot imagine that you could come into the presence of God, in the Holy Place, if you are not cleansed from every sin. In the blood of Christ that cleanses from all sin, God has bestowed on you [given to you] the power to cleanse yourself. Your desire to live with God in the Holiest must always be united with the most careful laying aside of even the least sin. The unclean may not enter the Holiest.”

“Praise be God, He desires to have us there. He desires our purity that we may enjoy the blessing of the Holiest—that is, His Holy Fellowship. And He has taken care that through the blood and by the Spirit, we may be clean.”

Let us draw near.

“The Holiest Place is open even for those in our congregations who have not yet truly turned to the Lord. For them also the sanctuary has been opened. The precious blood, the living way, and the High Priest are for them also. With great confidence we dare to invite even them, ‘Let us draw near.’ ”

Let us draw near.

The invitation comes especially to all believers. Be not satisfied to stand in the porch. It is not sufficient to cherish the hope that your sins are forgiven. ‘Let us draw near’; let us enter within the veil; let us in spirit press on to real nearness to our God. Let us draw near and live nearer to God.”

Read more posts on prayer:
The Secret of Prayer Posts Lists
Pathways of Prayer

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Lesson 34: Do You Have Doubts About God’s Love for You?

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

Many people suffer from lack of assurance that they are God’s children.

First of all is the promise: “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12).” You may or may not remember the time, place, and occasion when you invited Jesus to be Lord and Saviour of your life.

For some, it is a gradual process and not a one split-second decision. In whatever way you came to know Jesus, you are given the right to be God’s child (I think it was Billy Graham who pointed out that God does not have grandchildren).

Your family’s history as members of a church is not enough. “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.” —Billy Sunday

After you come to Jesus, do not doubt his absolute power to keep you to the end of life and beyond the grave.

Look at the assurances he gives:
“No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand (John 10:29).”
“I know my sheep (John 10:14, 27).”
“Whoever comes to me, I will never drive away (John 6:37).”
“I shall lose none of all that he has given me (John 6:39).”

The Comforter
What if Jesus did not send the Holy Spirit?
Would it make a difference?
Are we ignoring the help the Spirit of God is always ready to give in our life and situations?
Have you ever felt the pain of being ignored by your friends or family? How do you think the Spirit of God standing beside you will take it when you act as if he doesn’t exist?

He is in you if you belong to Christ. When will you start treating him like how you would treat a person from a royal family coming to be your guest at home?

The Holy Spirit is not Someone who obeys the commands of men or women as some modern day evangelists try to make us believe.

He is God and Almighty. He is Lord God. Give him the honour and praise and glory and adoration he deserves and is worthy of.

Remember he always turns the spotlights on Jesus (John 16:14). He is with us and in us to testify and witness to the greatness of the Son of God and his finished work on Calvary’s cross.

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Lesson 33: Invitations of Jesus

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

Come and See
(John 1:39)

When Jesus invites you to be with him, we are reminded of Psalm 34:8: “Taste and see that the LORD is good.”

So many people refuse the invitation of Jesus thinking that it involves too great a cost. It certainly looks like that when you look at it from outside.

But Jesus is not asking you to stand out there and be a spectator but he is inviting you to come in and be a participant.

You are welcome, he says. In another great invitation he gave he said, “my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:30).

Come to Me and Drink
(John 7:37)

There is a deep dissatisfaction in our hearts. We try to substitute our need of God with everything else. Even our busyness for the Lord is sometimes a substitute for the discipline of sitting quietly at the Lord’s feet communing with him (see Luke 10:38 to 42).

But Jesus is calling all who are thirsty to come to him. The invitation is not “Come and drink.” Instead the invitation is “Come to Me . . .” He will then baptize you with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33).

Thirst will give way to rivers of blessing in your life. How many of you miss God’s blessing in your life because you are not willing to be a channel for its flow.

And you are not a channel simply because you are not thirsting for God. Leave your doubts about the Holy Spirit. God will take care of it in due time.

Now thirst for this blessing of the Spirit of God in your life.

Come and Have Breakfast
(John 21:12)

Jesus is practical. How can he not be? He lived in a poor home in Nazareth. He had brothers and sisters in the family. He knew hard work.

How lovingly he prepared food for those disciples coming back cold and wet from the sea.

Remember, he is meeting with a discouraged band of seven disciples. They needed a fresh reminder of his love for them.

The simple way he did that was to prepare a breakfast for them. Whether it be a mother or wife at home, food is prepared with love for you; isn’t it?

Note: Talking about invitations, the miracle of turning water into wine happened in the Wedding at Cana simply because Jesus had also been invited to the wedding (see John 2:1). Do you remember to invite him to all your activities?

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Lesson 32: Follow Jesus | Love Jesus | Please Jesus | Obey Jesus

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

Follow Jesus
This is a clear call sounded in this gospel at the beginning and the end. First to Philip (John 1:43) and finally to Peter, twice (John 21:19b, 22b).

Following Jesus cannot happen unless you focus on him alone. When you follow him he has promised that you will not walk in darkness (John 8:12b).

He is the Good Shepherd who calls you by name and walks ahead of you (John 10:3). With him in front, you need not worry about the way because he is the way (John 14:6).

Finally, when you follow him, don’t ask how he is leading someone else. That is none of your business (Read John 21:22 again).

Love Jesus
We all have failed God repeatedly both in private and in public. If we look at our failures we will become discouraged and feel like giving up on the calling of God on our lives.

But Jesus is asking a simple question. “Do you love me (John 21:15, 16, 17)?” Look into his eyes and tell him your answer.

In God’s eyes no failure in your life is final if you can answer yes to his question, “Do you love me?”

Please Jesus
We all have a big concern in our hearts about finding God’s will for our lives.

Jesus had no doubts about it. Why? Because as he said, “for I always do what pleases him (John 8:29b).” See also John 5:30b.

When life presents you with choices, ask “Does this please Jesus?”

Again do but look for FAQ and answers. Jesus is taking about a relationship here and not presenting a list of do’s and don’ts.

The secret is to get to know him, fall in love with him, and seek his help to know what pleases him. The Word of God is our guidebook to know what pleases him. Get familiar with the guidebook to know what pleases him.

Obey Jesus
Love is shown through obedience. If you love Jesus you will obey him. Jesus himself said: “If you love me, you will obey what I command (John 14:15).

The cross is a symbol of perfect obedience

more than a symbol of suffering.

Not my will but yours be done is a prayer (Mark 14:36) that is not easy. It was not easy for Jesus. Neither will it be easy for you or me.

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Lesson 31: Near the Cross of Jesus Stood

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

John 19:25 speaks of four women. It included Mary the mother of Jesus. They all showed remarkable courage in being near the cross.

Let us examine our lives. Are we standing near the cross of Jesus?

First of all, Jesus sees you when you are near the cross.

Of course, he sees and knows everybody. But those who stand near the cross are people who are dear to him. Here he sees and especially takes note of his mother Mary and John.

Secondly, those who stand near the cross are united by Christ in sweet fellowship.

We haven’t seen anything of suffering that Christians have seen and experienced in persecuted lands. They are persecuted because of their nearness to the cross all the time. Those dear brothers and sisters are brought near to each other in pure fellowship by Jesus like how he brought Mary his mother and John his disciple into each other’s care.

Finally, standing near the cross is an attitude.

It is like the sword that was predicted to pass through Mary’s soul (Luke 2:35b). Standing near the cross is a death-like experience. To us Paul says, “Count yourselves dead to sin (Romans 6:11a). This is an attitude we need to cultivate and remind ourselves each day. No dead man or woman can be tempted by life’s pleasures. The secret is nearness to the cross of Jesus.

I listened to a retired Reverend speak on Romans 12:1 during a concert. He was speaking about “living sacrifices.” He asked a question to the audience: “When do you think a Kamikaze Pilot dies?” He then answered that question: “The moment he decides to be a Kamikaze Pilot!” At that moment he was already dead in his mind. This is the true attitude of standing near the cross of Jesus.

Note: Kamikaze refer to any of the Japanese pilots who in World War II made deliberate suicidal crashes into enemy targets, usually ships. The pilot had no means of getting out once the missile was fastened to the aircraft that would launch it.

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Lesson 30: “It Is Finished!”

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

John 19:30
It was a cry of triumph. It was a cry of victory. All that needed to be done for man’s salvation was done. There is nothing more any one of us can add to it.

“Jesus died with a shout of triumph on his lips. He did not say, “It is finished,” in weary defeat; he said it as one who shouts for joy because the victory is won. He seemed to be broken on the Cross, but he knew that his victory was won.” – William Barclay

                                                                                                       Matthew 27:50, Mark 15:37 and Luke 23:46, record that Jesus cried out with a loud voice but it is only John who has recorded what he said. The Greek word tetelestai literally means “done.” Everything Jesus came to do was accomplished; there was no unfinished business left for him on earth to do.

Was It Easy?

It cost Jesus everything. See him in the Garden of Gethsemane. As a human being he recoiled from going to the cross. “Abba, Father,” ‘he said,’ “everything is possible for you.  Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will (Mark 14:36).”  Thrice he prayed thus. He was in great anguish.  An angel from heaven came to him to strengthen him. His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44). The struggle was so intense. Hebrews says, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears (Luke 5:7). Amazing!

But he obeyed. He submitted himself to his Father’s will. Just like Isaac allowed himself to be bound on the wood on the altar (Genesis 22:9), Jesus stretched out his hands on the cross for the nails to pierce them and be hammered into the wood.

Always, people ask the question “Why the cross? Was there no other way for God?” The answer is that Death could not be defeated in any other than by the death of Jesus and his resurrection from the dead.

For the first time, Satan could not hold someone a prisoner of death. He had no legal claim on Jesus (see Acts 2:24). The soul who sins shall die says the Bible (Ezekiel 18:20). Now Satan became a true murderer (see John 8:44, 10:10a) because he engineered the killing of the Son of God whose blood was innocent. The Son of Man had tasted death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9, 14, 15) that he might destroy the devil who holds the power of death .

Therefore Jesus cried on the cross, “It is finished.”

What Was Finished?

  • The Old Testament was looking forward to the coming of Jesus right from the promise of Genesis 3:15.
  • His birth of a virgin was predicted (Isaiah 7:14).
  • His place of birth was predicted (Micah 5:2).
  • Who he is, was predicted (Isaiah 9:6).
  • Jesus cleansing the temple, zeal for the Lord’s house (Psalm 69:9, John 2:17).
  • He would teach in parables (Psalm 78:1, 2, Matthew 13:34, 35).
  • Palm Sunday was predicted (Zechariah 9:9).
  • His betrayal by a familiar friend was predicted (Psalm 41:9, Zechariah 11:13).
  • He will be lifted up on a cross (Numbers 21:9, John 3:14).
  • His crucifixion, even before that method was ever invented by the Persians (300—400 B.C)and perfected by the Romans, one thousand years before the event David described it in Psalm 22. See verses 1, 6—8, 13—18 especially.
  • Preservation of his body after death and resurrection (Psalm 16:9—11 and 17:15)
  • “It is finished” rendered as “for he has done it” (Psalm 22:31).

He was the high priest. He was the sacrifice at the same time. All the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament pointed to the Lamb of God who came to take away the sin of the world. He was rejected, despised, a Man of sorrows. The punishment that brought us peace was upon him (Read Isaiah 53, written 700 years before Christ).

All those came to a fulfilment in Jesus. Some Bible scholars say that around 300 Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus during his life on earth. The mathematical probability of all those predictions to come true in one person is mind-boggling.

The Torn Curtain and Access to God

When Jesus had cried out in a loud voice, “It is finished,” the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:37, Luke 23:45). It was a huge curtain almost 60 feet high. God tore it apart. The Holy of Holies was revealed to all. This was the most sacred part of the temple to which only the High Priest could come in after it was completely covered by smoke of the incense and with sprinkling of blood once in a year on the Day of Atonement. Others had no access to that part of the temple. If violated, death penalty was the result.

But God tore the temple curtain apart to let the world know that access to God was made possible through the curtain of his body which was torn apart now. A new and living way through the blood of Jesus was opened for us to go to God 24 x 7 ((Hebrews 10:21, 22).

What do we wait for now. If we sin, there is only one thing to do. With a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17) confess approach the throne through the blood of Jesus. You will find a cleansing fountain (1 John 1:7), and a faithful high priest there who will forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Is that that simple? Yes.
Do you need to add your good works to it? No.
Do you need to beat your body? No.
Do you need to give money to the church, or missions, or to the poor for forgiveness of sins? No.
You just need to have faith in his blood (Romans 3:25).
That is all that is needed. Nothing more!

Not Enough But Now Complete

Old Testament sacrifices were not enough. They needed to be offered endlessly. But in some mysterious way, Jesus was made sin. He knew no sin: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

This is why Jesus felt forsaken on the cross (Psalm 22:1, Matthew 27:46). All the guilt of sin, all the debt that we morally owed God because of our sin, all the sins of all mankind right from Adam to the last person to be born on earth were placed on him. Yes, my sins were put on him. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24)” said Peter.

“The Old Testament sacrifices were never complete. There was always need for more, and more, and more. Not one, or all of them together were enough to blot out the consequences of sin for ever. But the supreme sacrifice of Christ is enough. Instead of the fire of God’s condemnation consuming the fire as it did in the Old Testament, the sacrifice consumed, completely used up, the fire. The wrath of God upon sin was completely exhausted by the infinite value of the offering of Jesus Christ. His was a perfect, complete sacrifice to which nothing needed to be or could be added. All that God required to atone for sin was met. His righteousness had been satisfied.” – Paul Tucker

In contrast, people always wanted to do something for their sin. Even today we find people offering animal sacrifices not knowing that the once for all sacrifice has been made. So many people visit places of pilgrimage, so many people offer money  to get their sins forgiven, so many people help the poor in the hope that they will earn merit with God, so many people trust their own goodness to be acceptable to God. Nothing doing! It is all in vain. The only thing acceptable to God is the blood of Jesus. When you trust in that precious blood, God sees us in Jesus, the only righteous Man.  And that righteousness is given to us all who trust in his blood.

His Perfect Obedience Was Finished

You look at the life of Jesus. You cannot miss one thing. It was life of obedience one of full dependence on his Father in heaven and helped by the Spirit of God remaining in him.

“Throughout the first years of his life he privately obeyed, honouring his father and his mother, during the next three years, he publicly obeyed God, spending and being spent in his service.” — Charles Spurgeon

The obedience was perfect in submission to his Father’s will. No one could accuse him of sin (John 8:46). Satan could not (John 14:30). Pilate found no fault in him (John 19:6). Judas said he had betrayed innocent blood (Matthew 27:4). The centurion said, “Surely this was a righteous man (Luke 23:47).”

God was completely satisfied with the perfect obedience of his son. His justice demanded that sin be punished and on Jesus was placed all punishment. What is the meaning of this?

In simple terms, you are free from the demands of God’s justice when you trust in the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. All that God’s court demanded Jesus paid in full. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).” “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).” This is faith in his blood (Romans 3:25).

Children of God, you who by faith received Christ as your all in all, tell it every day of your lives that “it is finished.” God neither asks nor accepts any other sacrifice than that which Christ offered once for all upon the cross.”

“Oh! You may be assured of it today—if you believe in Christ you are saved. “But I feel imperfections. Yet, but what of that? God does not regard your imperfections, but he covers them with Christ’s righteousness. He sees them to remove them, but not to lay them to your charge. “But I cannot be what I would be?” But what if you cannot? Yet God does not look at you, as what you are in yourself, but as what you are in Christ.”– Charles Spurgeon

To sum up,

There is nothing more you can add to what Christ did, accomplished, and finished on the cross. Simply accept it in faith.

The Idol of Self-Righteousness Has to Be Destroyed

Take some time. Pray to God the Holy Spirit to show you the self-righteousness in your life. If you earnestly ask him, he will show that to you. It will be a painful experience as he throws light on your attitudes, behaviour, conversation, secrets, pride, prejudices, and even the “self” and “wrong motives” in your preaching, singing, or even witnessing to Jesus.

The first time I ever read about self-righteousness was in the biography of a missionary who served the Lord in the Himalayan foothills. After twenty years of work, the Lord showed him that all his efforts were based on self-righteousness. It was his statement, “The last idol to be destroyed in the human heart is self-righteousness [quoting from memory]”. As I read it I was shocked. How much more will be shocked as we allow God to turn the scanners on to see what is inside our hearts?

Here is another famous quote on self-righteousness as an idol:

“Self-righteousness….is the largest idol of the human heart – the idol which man loves most and God hates most. Dearly beloved, you will always be going back to this idol. You are always trying to be something in yourself, to gain God’s favour by thinking little of your sin, or by looking to your repentance, tears, prayers; or by looking to your religious exercises, your frames, etc; or by looking to your graces, the Spirit’s work in your heart. Beware of false Christs. Study sanctification to the utmost, but make not a Christ of it.” —  Robert Murray M’Cheyne

Finish Well

Jesus had his eyes on the goal. He looked to the cross and looked beyond its shame (Hebrews 12:2).
He said he his food is to do the will of God who sent him and to finish God’s work. One of our problems is that we look at all the problems of world and do nothing. Even Jesus did not attempt to meet the needs of all the world.

He limited himself to what God wanted him to do and complete (John 17:4). Sometimes you get burnt-out in Christian ministry because you are doing too many things which God never asked you to do.

Jesus never acted on his own. Did he not say “By myself I can do nothing” (John 5:19, 30)?

We all should be able to say at the end of our lives, I have finished the work you gave me to do. Paul also expressed the same thought, “I have finished the race (2 Timothy 4:7).”

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Lesson 29: The High Priestly Prayer of Jesus

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.

John 17

Isn’t it amazing that the Son of God prayed while on earth?
He lived without sin.
But he did not live without prayer.

Hope that gives you an idea of how much we should lean on God in prayer!

Here, like the high priest praying before offering sacrifice, Jesus is praying before he offers himself as the once for all sacrifice (Hebrews 9:26). Now he knows that his mission is finished, he wants to go home (v. 6—8). His last prayer on the cross, recorded in other gospels is a prayer that every Jewish mother taught her child to pray before going to bed at night (Psalm 31:5a, Luke 23:46). What a lovely way to go to sleep and go on from this earth to the home of heaven!

Jesus dedicated himself or sanctified himself to go to the cross. He also prayed that his disciples or his people will be equally dedicated to their role in making known his redemptive work—the finished work on the cross (John 19:30).

His prayer in Aramaic would begin, Abba (John 17:1. Compare Mark 14:36). (Abba is a term of great intimacy and affection used to address a father in the Palestinian homes of those times.)

For more about the what prayer meant to Jesus, read this fascinating article on Lovesark: The Prayer Life of Jesus Christ

Read more posts on prayer:
The Secret of Prayer Posts Lists
Pathways of Prayer

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Lesson 28: Jesus’ Majestic Interview with Pilate

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

John devotes more space to the trial of Jesus before Pilate than in the other gospels (John 18:28—19:16). We find Pilate unable to make a decision in favour of Jesus and yielding to the unjust demand of the Jews, “Crucify! Crucify!”

In spite of certain omissions, the trial of Jesus before Pilate is given more space in JOHN than in the other three gospels. John’s portrayal of this incident was designed to bring the personalities of Pilate and Jesus into sharp relief. As he narrated it, the judicial aspect of the occasion became less prominent, and the character of Pilate became more important. It was a trial of Pilate before Christ instead of Christ before Pilate. – Merrill C. Tenney

It is Jesus who is standing before Pilate. But if you read between the lines, you will see the roles reversed. Jesus is standing before Pilate with a calmness that he alone has. The reply Jesus makes to each of Pilate’s questions make Pilate look weak.

For example,

Pilate: “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Jesus: “Is that your own idea, or did others to talk to you about me?”

The Jews, according to their Law, could only stone someone to death. But at the time of Jesus they were under Roman Law and had no legal right to put someone to death. Therefore the Jews tried their best to persuade Pilate to put Jesus to death (see John 18:30—32). But we need to remember that it was Jesus who is in control of the situation not Jews or Pilate.

Jesus had said that he would be “lifted up,” that is, when he was crucified, he would draw all men to him (see 18:32 and also 3:14, 12:32, 33). Crucifixion was the Roman method. The fact that Jesus was sentenced to death by a Roman court made his death an imperial (related to the empire) one and not a local affair.

The Jews hated Jesus so intensely that they kept crying, “Crucify! Crucify!” The Jews were careful not to become ceremonially unclean because of the Passover but were ready to kill the Son of God. The Jews twisted their charge against Jesus to make sure that he was killed. In their own trial, the charge against Jesus was blasphemy (Matthew 26:65). But they accused Jesus of claiming to be a king so that the case against him will become a charge of rebellion and political insurrection. Finally, instead of saying that God is their King, the Jews in an unbelievable moment said, “We have no king but Caesar (John 19:15b).”

From other writings available we come to know that Pilate had a bad history of confrontation with the Jews. When the Jews blackmailed him saying, “If you let this man go you are no friend of Caesar (John 19:12),” Pilate’s previous mistakes made it impossible for him to defy the Jews and keep his post. “He crucified Jesus in order to keep his job.” – Barclay.

There is a Pilate in each one of us. Jesus stands in front of us. If Pilate is given command of our lives, what all things will we do?

Pilate tried to put the responsibility on the Jews. “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law (John 18:31).” You cannot evade the responsibility of dealing with Jesus.

Pilate tried to evade responsibility by using the custom of releasing a prisoner at the time of the Passover (John 18:39). You cannot escape making a personal decision about Jesus.

Pilate tried compromise. He had Jesus scourged. That was a punishment usually given to base criminals to obtain a confession. He thought that would satisfy the hatred of the Jews toward Jesus. We need to remember that there is no half-way following Jesus. Either you are for him or against him.

Pilate tried emotional appeal. He asked the Jews: “Shall I crucify your king (19:15)?” You cannot appeal to others to make a decision you alone can make. No one can evade making a personal decision for or against Christ.

“Pilate by this world’s standards was a successful man. He had come almost to the top of the Roman civil service; he was governor-general of a Roman province; but there was something missing. . . . Into his life came Jesus, and suddenly he saw what he had missed. That day he might have found all that he had missed; but he had not the courage to defy the world in spite of his past, and to take his stand with Christ and a future which was glorious.” – William Barclay.

Note the sheer majesty of Jesus during the whole trial. Jesus speaks in clear terms that he is king and that his kingdom is not political. He reigns in the hearts of men by love and sacrifice not by force of muscle and might. Jesus says that he came to this world to testify to the truth—the truth about God and the truth about people. He himself is the truth.

Pilate asked, “What is truth (18:38)?” But he did not wait for an answer. Finally, Pilate presents Jesus to the Jews saying, “Here is the man (19:5b)!” Pilate wanted to make the Jews feel pity for Jesus but we can also see an underlying admiration Pilate felt for the sheer courage of Jesus under scourging and the majesty he showed.

Jesus reminds Pilate that he has no power over him unless given from above (19:11a). [The one who handed me over to you and guilty of a greater sin is a reference to Caiphas the high priest.] If Pilate really had power to release Jesus why didn’t he do it especially when he found Jesus innocent (19:4)?

We find Jesus giving Pilate no answer at times (John 19:9). To not speak when asked to by a Roman Governor was equivalent to contempt of court. But Jesus is in absolute control. He knew that Pilate was not serious when he asked him “Where do you come from?” He was simply afraid according to popular legends and superstitions of the time this “Son of God” the Jews were accusing him of was some kind of half-god. He feared whether he was angering the gods (19:7). Jesus had nothing to say in answer to that kind of superstitions.

We have Pilate seated on the judge’s seat at the Stone Pavement to give a final verdict. The role will be reversed one day. We all will stand before the judgement seat of Christ.  This scene should never be wiped out of our minds. The world is fast and furious heading towards this day when Jesus will judge the world—both believers and sinners (though these are two occasions and two different types of judgements. 2 Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:12—15). Are you ready to stand before him?

Let us look at it again:

Pilate: “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Jesus: “Is that your own idea, or did others to talk to you about me?”

Pilate is half-mocking. If you read it this way, “So YOU are the king of the Jews.” He had heard that there was someone posing as king and he is being brought before him in the early hours of the morning to be questioned. Pilate couldn’t see any rebellious attitude in Jesus.

But then Jesus’ counter question took Pilate by surprise. Jesus did not plead his innocence nor did he show defiance. Instead Jesus treated Pilate as an equal, not as a superior; and questioned him in turn.

Jesus, by this question, is changing the direction of the case. Pilate was concerned about the legal side of the pending case against Jesus. But Jesus is directing the question to Pilate’s personal decision and destiny.

It was impossible for Jesus to give a simple “Yes” or “No” answer.

Jesus was asking Pilate whether it was a personal inquiry he was making. If so, Jesus could engage in a conversation and try to talk to him about spiritual truths. If Pilate were willing to listen, Jesus would have given him a fair chance to understand salvation just like he gave the chance to Nicodemus as well as the Samaritan woman.

If he was just repeating what others or the Sanhedrin told him, then Jesus might have to give a long explanation to clarify. A commentator Carson says, “Jesus . . .has become the interrogator; the prisoner has become the judge.”

The sad situation of Pilate was that he was convinced that Jesus was no criminal; but he never understood Jesus’ claim to be king of a kingdom that comes with life-changing power. This is what the world also does today. They agree to everything Jesus is; but will not allow him to exercise kingship in their lives so that he can transform their lives.

Jesus is king. Nowhere else in Scripture than here does it come with such majestic force. Are you willing to allow him to change your lives? He is king. A king commands and does not beg. Let us not play the role of Pilate as we stand before Jesus. But let us accept him for he who he truly is—the King!

Pilate seemed unwilling to be part of the action. He was uneasy throughout the trial shown by the fact that he makes at least four trips between the outer court where he met the Jews and the inner court where he took Jesus for questioning.

Jesus made Pilate confront the real issue at stake: his attitude towards truth. “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me (John 18:37b)” said Jesus. If Pilate was devoted to the truth he would hear it in Jesus’ voice; if not he would brand himself as not belonging to the truth.

Pilate had the chance of a lifetime. But he was not on the side of truth. He was not ready to act on what he knew was right. “The story of Pilate is the tragedy of unbelief.” Merril C. Tenney.

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Lesson 27: The Risen Christ Meets with Peter on the Shore of the Sea of Galilee

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

A discouraged Peter goes out to fish and he was able to persuade six other disciples to go with him. That night they caught nothing. Soon, Jesus standing on the shore tells them to cast their net on the right side of the boat. Then they caught a large number of fish. Soon John told Peter, “It is the Lord.”

As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him and jumped into the water. See, this man had denied Jesus. Yet love for Jesus was still in his heart. That is why that unhesitant response of jumping into the water.

Jesus, who had attended many dinners during his earthly ministry, now played the host and invited the disciples saying: “Come and have breakfast (John 21:12).” What a lovely picture is this. These disciples were coming to the shore from the sea, cold and wet. What they needed was some warmth and some food. Jesus provides for them. Remember he is now the Risen Lord.

Now follows that crucial conversation Jesus had with Peter. The setting was dramatic. The catch of fish reminded him of the first time Jesus had helped him have a miraculous catch of fish (see Luke 5). Then Jesus had told him: “”Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men (Luke 5:10b).” But Peter, in his discouragement, had forgotten that calling and had gone out to fish.

A note on discouragement:
Before we move further let me say a word about the power of discouragement. Other than doubt, discouragement has made many a man or woman of God move away from what God has called them to do in life. There is nothing to be ashamed about discouragement.

We find Elijah one day running many miles in the power of the LORD faster than a chariot (1 Kings 18:46) and again running in his own strength from Jezebel (1 Kings 19:3). He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die (v. 4)! Remember that this was just after he brought down fire and then rain from heaven in answer to prayer!

We find a discouraged David encouraging himself. It is recorded “David found strength in the LORD his God (1 Samuel 30:6b). Remember all his men were talking about stoning David at this time!

Peter, because he had denied the Lord, was a discouraged man. Neither the special message to him from the angel (see “And Peter” in Mark 16:7), nor Jesus’ special appearance to Peter of which the Bible says nothing more (Luke 24:34, 1 Corinthians 15:5), nor his appearing to the disciples together twice (John 20:19, 26) was able to drive discouragement out of Peter.

Similarly, why are you discouraged today? What is the failure in your life that is now making you walk away from God’s call on your life? The Risen Lord is not finished with you yet. He is standing at the next turn inviting you to have a chat with him.

Again, as you look at the encounter of Jesus with Peter, there was a fire of burning coals on the shore. And Jesus was asking him three times, “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me more than these (John 21:15)?’ Three times he had denied knowing his Lord while he was standing before a fire warming himself (John 18:18).

Right now, is the Lord reminding of you certain things that happened in your life?

Peter was hurt when Jesus asked him the third time. His reply was: “Lord you know all things; you know that I love you (John 21:17).” Jesus gives him the task of feeding his lambs and taking care of his sheep. Jesus also gives him a clue as to the kind of death he would die to glorify God (tradition says that Peter was crucified upside down).

Jesus is not surprised when we fail. He knew that Peter was going to deny him. But Jesus had prayed for him (Luke 22:31, 32). By any chance if you have failed God in some way, Jesus is even now giving you a chance to make things right with him. His only question is “Do you love me?” What is your answer?

A note on love for Jesus:
God is not expecting from you a great performance. He is simply asking you, in the midst of all your sinful failures, just one question: “Do you love me?” Let that question ring in your ears all the time. Think about a little child with soiled hands offering his mother a glass of water to drink. The mother can scold the child or the mother accepts the glass of water looking to the love with which the child brought that glass of water to her. God looks at your heart (1 Samuel 16:7, 1 Chronicles 28:9). Jesus did not ask Peter anything about why he failed nor did he make fun of his boast earlier. The only question was, and is to us today, “Do you love me?”

Finally, Peter was a bit curious about John: “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered Peter, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me (John 21:22).” See, Jesus is not asking you to follow anyone else or find out what is God’s plan for someone else. He is asking you to follow him.

“Follow me” was the initial call made to Philip in this gospel (John 1:43). The gospel ends with a reminder of that call, “You must follow me.” We need to keep this call of Jesus in mind always.

One lovely thought: Judging by the language used in verse 20, it can be understood that Jesus had taken Peter to be alone with him when he asked him the question “Do you love me?” repeatedly. He knows how much shame you bear. See, it was a well- known fact that Peter had denied Jesus. But Jesus was not making it a matter of public discussion. Do you now feel the gentleness and understanding with which Jesus deals with you when you fail him?

Insights on Peter’s Failure:

Overconfidence
“Almost as sad as Judas was Peter, the deserter in the hour of need, denying three times that he had any connection with his best Friend! This is a lesson for us—overconfidence. Poor Peter is to be pitied, for he really loved the Master.

Peter did not know that the supreme trial of his life would come in the question of a servant maid. It is so often thus. We lock and bolt the main door, but the thief breaks into a tiny window we had not thought of. We would die at the stake, but deny Christ in our speech.

All the disciples but John deserted Jesus in the hour of his greatest need. (Peter denied Jesus, but he stayed close by). – Dr. Henrietta C. Mears

The Hero and the Coward
(John 18:15-18; John 18:25-27)

(i) The first thing to remember about Peter is not his failure, but the courage which kept him near to Jesus when everyone else had run away. His failure could have happened only to a man of superlative courage. True, he failed; but he failed in a situation which none of the other disciples even dared to face. He failed, not because he was a coward, but because he was brave.

(ii) We must remember how much Peter loved Jesus. The others had abandoned Jesus; Peter alone stood by him. He loved Jesus so much that he could not leave him. True, he failed; but he failed in circumstances which only a faithful lover of Jesus would ever have encountered.

(iii) We must remember how Peter had the courage and the tenacity of purpose to redeem himself, to start from failure and attain to greatness.

The essence of the matter was that it was the real Peter who protested his loyalty in the upper room; it was the real Peter who drew his lonely sword in the moonlight of the garden; it was the real Peter who followed Jesus, because he could not allow his Lord to go alone; it was not the real Peter who cracked beneath the tension and denied his Lord. And that is just what Jesus could see. A tremendous thing about Jesus is that beneath all our failures he sees the real man. – William Barclay

The story of Peter is one of repentance. Just as Peter was denying the Lord, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him. “And he went outside and wept bitterly (Luke 23:46).”

The story of Peter is also one of great intercession. Jesus had earlier told Peter that Satan had asked to sift you as wheat. “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail (Luke 22:32).”

The story of Peter is again one of great restoration. Think about it. Peter was the natural leader of the Twelve. Yet he had denied his Master. He bore that shame. Yet Jesus restored him. And on the Day of Pentecost he was the one who spoke to the crowds enabled by the Holy Spirit.

If at all you have failed God, trust in the One who has already prayed for you. He will restore you. Even if you have walked away from God for many years now, he will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25). Return to Jesus and he will return to you (see Malachi 3:7). Let the story of Peter inspire a great comeback to God in your life. Amen.

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Lesson 26: Jesus’ Conversations with Peter

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

One of the highlights of John’s gospel is how each character comes to life through conversations with Jesus.

Peter emerges as the leader of men. We see his extraordinary courage, extraordinary fall, extraordinary grace shown him, and extraordinary restoration.

The First Six Instances of Conversations with Peter

 The first instance:
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas (which, when translated, is Peter) (John 1:42).” Have you ever had Jesus look at you? He sees what you can be. There are divine possibilities in your life that he alone sees. And he believes in you even when you look ordinary on the outside.

When Jesus saw him the first time, Peter was just an ordinary fisherman of the Sea of Galilee. This man was impulsive; he could act without thought. He was brave and courageous but also someone who followed Jesus at a distance (Matthew 26:58) when he was arrested. Yet Jesus saw in Peter a “rock.”

When you look into the mirror you see a person who has many flaws. When others look at you they see who you are on the outside. But when Jesus looks at you, he sees what you can become in him. He sees your hidden potential. And he points that out to you.

The Holy Spirit, our Counsellor, like Jesus does the same in our lives as well. He helps us what we are in Christ, and what we can become in him. “He sees us as we are, loves us as we are, but loves us too much to let us stay as we are. Lovingly and gently he prods us towards perfection.” – Selwyn Hughes

The second instance:
When many of the disciples of Jesus left him (6:66) after Jesus talked with them about eating and drinking his flesh and blood (see 6:53—56), Jesus asked the Twelve: “You do not want to leave too, do you (v. 67)?” See God does not force anyone to follow him. You always have the choice to walk away from him.

To that pointed question, Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God (v. 68, 69).” Here we find Peter loyal to Jesus. At that moment itself, Jesus is painfully pointing out the contrast that one among them was going to betray him.

Always remember that Jesus is not forcing you to follow him. At the same time if you want to follow him, he is asking from you loyalty and trust and obedience. Do not follow him for the sake of benefits you believe or someone else made you believe that he will give you on earth. Follow him because he is God!

The third instance:
Simon Peter is the first to ask, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet (John 13:6)?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand (v. 7).” Peter couldn’t accept the fact that Jesus was performing an act that slaves were supposed to do. Therefore he objected strongly: “No, you shall never wash my feet (v. 8).” But Jesus told him that unless he washed him, Peter had no part with him. Now Peter is all responsive. He said: “Then, Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well.”

Let us look at the simplest lesson here. There are many things we don’t understand about God’s dealing with us. Sometimes we put up resistance. Yet isn’t it wise to be responsive to God when he deals with us gently but firmly?

Let us now look at the deeper lesson hidden in this act of Jesus. We often say that this was an act of humility. True. But is there more in this act than what we see? Let us look at it again.

This instance is acted out in the shadow of the cross. That means what Jesus did has to be understood in connection with the cross.

The washer of the disciples’ feet is the one who is to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

“Consider next the verbs which John uses to describe Jesus’ actions. Jesus ‘lays aside’ his garments, and, the washing over, ‘takes them again.’

These are the very verbs which the Good Shepherd had used of his death and resurrection (John 10: 11, 15, 17b).

Above all, remember that the motif [a recurring idea] of the whole story is cleansing and that Jesus said to Peter, ‘If I do not wash you, you are not in fellowship with me.’

The deeper meaning then is that there is no place in his fellowship for those who have not been cleansed by his atoning death.

The episode dramatically symbolises the truth enunciated [expressed in clear, definite terms] in 1 John 1:7, ‘We are being cleansed from every sin by the blood of Jesus.’ ” – The Cambridge Bible Commentary on John (New English Bible) by A. M. Hunter.

The fourth instance:
Here Peter, the natural leader of men and the Twelve, is not willing to speak directly to Jesus. “Simon Peter motioned to this disciple [John] and said, ‘Ask him which one he means’ (John 13:24).”

There are moments when we are at a loss when we do not have the courage to ask Jesus. Well, isn’t there something lovely about Peter here. He represents each one of us. There is something so much human about this man.

The fifth instance:
But soon Simon Peter can’t contain his curiosity: “Lord, where are you going (John 13:36)?” Jesus tells him that he can’t come now but will follow later. But Peter says he is willing to lay down his life for Jesus. At that point Jesus tells him that he will deny him soon.

We all have good intentions. But when it really matters, is it easy to stand for Jesus? Peter’s example tells us that in spite of being sincere and loyal it is possible for us to deny Jesus.

The sixth instance:
Jesus finds that Peter is fighting for the kingdom of God in a worldly way. He struck the high priest’s servant cutting off his right ear. Brave Peter. What did he think he could do against a detachment of soldiers who were carrying weapons?

Sadly, Peter was trying to prevent Jesus from going to the cross (as at an earlier instance in Matthew 16:22, 23) even though he was not fully aware of where Jesus was headed to. Therefore Jesus commanded Peter: “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me? (John 18:11).” [emphasis mine: Jesus was never in any moment of his life without the ability to command.]

Jesus is asking all of us to walk the way of the cross. We are supposed to carry the cross daily (Luke 9:23). That has only one meaning. In the land of Palestine in those days if anyone was seen carrying a cross and walking it meant just one thing: That person was going to his death!

So if we carry our cross it means that we are walking to our death. This death is tough. We need to die to our pride, our self-righteousness, our sin, and our worldly thinking.  But like Peter we often resist going to the cross. We are called to be “living sacrifices (Romans 12:2)” but as someone has pointed out there is a strong constant tendency in us to wriggle out from the altar!

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Lesson 25: Jesus and the Holy Spirit

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

  • Jesus is presented by all the four writers of the gospels as the One who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, and John 1:33).
  • At the time of baptism of Jesus the Holy Spirit descended on him in a bodily form like a dove (see Luke 3:22). This shows the holy and gentle nature of the Spirit of God.
  • Think about this: If Jesus, the Son of God, needed the fullness of the Spirit of God resting and abiding on him, how much more do we?

Did you know that the Spirit of God resting on Jesus was prophesied in the Old Testament?

Let us look at Isaiah 11:1—3

 “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirt of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.”

And also the well-known passage beginning the first verse of Isaiah 61: “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor . . .” Jesus read this from the scroll and proclaimed that “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). This is known as the Nazareth Manifesto.

Let me end with a simple but lovely sketch Luke draws for us in his gospel: “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, . . . (10:21)” What a lovely picture this is! Joy through the Holy Spirit! May that joy be yours and mine. Amen!

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”     – Romans 15:13

The Holy Spirit in the Christmas Series

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Lesson 24: The Spirit of Holiness

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

Look at how Paul describes the power of the Holy Spirit when Jesus was raised from the dead—“and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 1:4).”

Two things are to be noted here:

One, we cannot claim to have the Spirit of God in our lives and continue to live in sin. He is the Spirit of holiness and there is no fellowship possible with darkness. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20).”

Two, the extraordinary power of God which raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us as well. Paul describes that power as “his incomparably great power,” and “that power is like the working of his mighty strength” which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead. Read Ephesians 1:19, 20.

Practical Application: Somewhere I read about people trying to move a huge tree trunk lying near a river bank. It was so huge and heavy that many people together could not move it. Later the water level rose and flooded the bank. And it floated the huge trunk. And with very little effort people could guide it to where they wanted to move that to. It is like that in our lives too. When the Spirit of God comes he will make what looked impossible, move with ease in our lives.

It doesn’t mean we become holy or become saints in one second. It doesn’t mean that we do not face struggles common to man. God allows us to pass through all life’s common experiences but enables us to have his grace in the midst of tough situations.

Like how he dealt with Paul saying “My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness (1 Corinthians 12:9).”

Eternal Guarantee

Almost all of us are familiar with giving an advance payment for something we plan to buy. It can be a car or a house. The Bible uses a similar language to help us understand the meaning of God sending the Holy Spirit into our hearts.

Paul says that the indwelling Holy Spirit is God’s seal of ownership on us. The word “pledge” or “deposit” is used in this context. It is God’s guarantee to keep the Believer saved and safe (Ephesians 1:13b—14).

The word for “pledge” or “deposit” appears only three times in the New Testament, always in reference to the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5, and Ephesians 1:14). The Holy Spirit is God’s advance payment made to assure you of eternal life and the extraordinary life with God for all eternity: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” – but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit (2 Corinthians 2:9, 10).

The Promise Is for You

If you need the blessing of the Holy Spirit you need to thirst for him (see John 7;37, 38). Thirst is most important.

The next thing is to ask. As simple as that. “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him (Luke 11:13)!

Just receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit in faith as you accepted the gift of eternal life by faith. See what Peter said at Pentecost: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call (Acts 38, 39).”

The promise of the Holy Spirit is for you. He is the gift that God has promised to give you when you believe in Jesus. Now how do you receive a gift? You say thanks and just receive; isn’t it?

THIRST → ASK→ RECEIVE

The Spirit of God witnesses or testifies in your heart that you are God’s child. “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship [some translations, “adoption”]. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children (Romans 8:15, 16).”
—
Encouraged by the Holy Spirit

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Lesson 23: Fellowship and Peace as a Result of the Coming of the Spirit

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

The result of the coming of the Spirit is fellowship with God and Jesus (John 14:20). This is in contrast to the world which no longer will see Jesus (v. 19). Note that Jesus did not go and show himself to Pilate or the High Priest or the soldiers who took part in his crucifixion. The Risen Christ only revealed himself to those who believed in him.

The fellowship he has is only with believers. “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him (v. 23).”

The practical result of this is that when you seek God more and more, and the Spirit of God makes this fellowship with God the Father and Jesus real in your life; you will no longer find pleasure in many things you enjoyed doing along with non-believers. You will be friends with them. But the fellowship, the intimacy, the great strength you derive from spending time with God cannot be substituted by the time you spend with them.

Again the result of the coming of the Spirit is peace. It is not the kind that the world gives. Absence of trouble is peace as far as the world is concerned. Or it is enforced peace at the edge of the sword like that of Pax Romana, the Roman Peace of ancient days, when Roman enemies could no longer resist.

But Jesus said the peace he gives is different from that of the world: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27).” Peace that we enjoy in difficult circumstances is a clear indication that the Spirit of God is in control in our lives.

The Teaching on the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John—An Overview

This is how Dr. Henrietta C. Mears describes the teaching about the Holy Spirit as presented by John:

1. The Incoming Spirit (3:5): This is the commencement of the Christian life, the new birth by the Spirit. We are born by the Spirit into the family of God.

2.  The Indwelling Spirit (4:14): He fills us with His presence and brings us joy.

3. The Overflowing Spirit (7:38, 39): “Streams of living water will flow from within him”—not just little streams of blessing, but rivers—Mississippis and Amazons if the Holy Spirit dwells within us.

4. The Witnessing Spirit (Chapters 14—16): He speaks through us. This is the particular task of the Christian through the Holy Spirit—to testify of Christ.

The Spirit of Truth

Elsewhere in Scripture the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Holiness (Romans 1:4) and the Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:7). Here he is called the Spirit of truth.  Romans 8:9 the Spirit of God and Spirit of Christ are used interchangeably. Jesus called himself “the truth” (John 14:6). Now he calls the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of Truth.” (14:17).

Just look around you. What kinds of false things can you identify that are being done in the name of the Holy Spirit? Always remember, he is the Spirit of truth.

The Holy Spirit Is a Person

The Holy Spirit is a person (and not just the power of God.). For those who have doubt about this, check Acts for example. The Holy Spirit spoke (Acts 13:2). Only a person speaks.

In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, Peter said, “you have lied to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3).” Peter emphasised again, “You have not lied to men but to God (Acts 5:4b).” Can you lie against a power like the wind or fire or water? No. You can only do that against a person.

Again, it is written, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:30).” Certainly you cannot grieve a power; only a person!
—
7. The Spirit of God in the Life of Jesus

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Lesson 22: When He Comes He Will Convict

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

Jesus said about the Holy Spirit: “When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment because the prince of the world now stands condemned (John 16:8—11).”

This is a passage which is not easy to understand at first reading. Yet we need to understand it because it is of great importance.

  • →Convict the world of guilt in regard to sin:

If Jesus is the Son of God, as this gospel presents him to be, then the greatest sin in the world is the rejection of him. Rejection of Jesus is a deliberate act on the part of men and women who do not believe in him.

  • →Convict the world of guilt in regard to righteousness:

Sin cannot be defined without a standard.

The verdict of the Bible is this (in a paragraph that Bible scholars agree to be the most important paragraph in the entire Bible):

“But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:21—23).”

Jesus is the only righteous one. God accepted his life and work and placed his divine stamp of approval upon them by raising him from the dead. The return of Jesus to the Father was the ultimate proof that he is the perfect pattern or standard of righteousness.

So when people look at Jesus they see what God’s standard of holiness is. Anything that falls short of him cannot be acceptable to God.

  • →Convict the world of guilt in regard to judgement:

Whenever sin and righteousness meet there must be judgement. Acceptance of Jesus as the standard of righteousness and that acceptance of God made known by his resurrection from the dead at the same time meant the rejection of the prince of this world who is the ultimate representation of all evil. In John 12:31, Jesus looking ahead to his cross said, “Now is the time for judgement on this world: now the prince of this world will be driven out.”

 “The cross was the condemnation of all that the world contained—its pride, its envy, its hatred, its rebellion, its unbelief. The function of the Spirit is to apply that condemnation to the world, and to make it conscious of the reality of that judgement.” – Merrill C. Tenney

For an In-depth Understanding

What is the application of what Jesus said about convicting the world of guilt in regard to sin, righteousness and judgement? Basically, we need to understand that it is beyond human ability to convince any unbeliever of sin, righteousness or judgement.

First of all, you might be able to point out some particular sin in him or her and convince that person that it is wrong. But if you try to make a person acknowledge the fact that he or she is a sinner, full of evil at heart, and therefore deserving of punishment because he or she has not believed in Christ, is humanly impossible.

Secondly, you might be able to show someone where he or she has failed in relation to the Ten Commandments or some other moral law of conduct. But to create in a person the humiliating consciousness that his or her self-righteousness (which in the simplest terms is the thought “I am right and perfect”) is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) in comparison with the righteousness of God cannot be done by human reasoning.

It might be helpful at this point to look at Isaiah’s cry: “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty (6:5).” Look also at Peter as he sees the miraculous catch of fish. He falls at Jesus’ knees saying, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man (Luke 5:8).”

What do you think created this reaction in both Isaiah and Peter? Think about it.

Thirdly, people believe in a kind of general judgement that will come on this world. But it is almost impossible to convince them that they already are under the wrath of God (John 3:36) and they are already condemned (John 3:18).

Only the power of the Holy Spirit working in human hearts can bring about conviction of guilt in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgment. Therefore preaching in human wisdom is not effective. We need to rely on the Holy Spirit to prepare the hearts of men and women to accept the preaching of the cross which is foolishness to those who are perishing but the power of God to those who are being saved (1 Corinthians 1:18).

—
3. Our Helper in Prayer
Another Helper for You!

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Lesson 21: He Will Remind You

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth (John 16:12, 13a).

The disciples were not in a position to fully understand what Jesus was saying to them. The authors like Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, etc. were reminded of truths that were to be communicated to us and that is how they wrote the gospels inspired and guided by the Spirit of God. Today the Bible is a book that is completed. The Spirit of God will not add anything more to the Bible but he will remind us of what is already written there.

That is one great motivation for us to we read the Bible. The Holy Spirit will bring things to our memory when we need it. He can use only what is stored up in our hearts (Psalm 119:11). (There are times when he speaks to people who do not know the Bible but those are exceptions).

Again, if you read the sermon which Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost, you will see how the Spirit of God reminded him to what to communicate. The truth he preached was so filled with God’s power that it added three thousand to the church that day (Acts 2:41). To what else would you attribute the way Peter preached the truth of God’s Word other than to the Holy Spirit?

Remember the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). When you allow God to work in your hearts, the Spirit of God can use the Word powerfully in you (Hebrews 4:12).

The Sap That Runs Through the Branches

This is not commonly taught. But since Ch. 15 is sandwiched between the teachings on the Holy Spirit found in Ch. 14 and Ch. 16 this analogy is not difficult to understand. We all know that it is the sap* that runs through the branches that give life to the same and produce fruit. (*The fluid part of a plant; specifically a watery solution that circulates through a plant’s vascular system.)

The Holy Spirit is like sap because he does not draw attention to himself. He simply stays in the background and does his work quietly without shouting it through loudspeakers!

In Galatians 5:22 we read about the fruit of the Spirit (Note that it is fruit and not fruits). Go outside your home and try to find a branch in a tree that is flexing its muscles and trying hard and sweating it out to create fruit. You will find no branch like that.

The branch simply remains in the main body of the tree like the branches remain in the vine. Jesus said in plain terms: “apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5b).”

Then what are we trying to accomplish? Sad to say, we have been taught things the wrong way—we have been taught to perform for God. Is that the right way? We try to be a great man or woman of God by preaching, singing, giving testimony, reading the Bible, attending prayer meetings and so on. Jesus simply says, “Abide in me,” or “Remain in me (John 15:4).”

That means to stop to try to become a saint. And simply remain in him. And allow the Holy Spirit to produce the desired fruit in you. Your role is to remain in the branch. And thus when you remain in him, he will cause you to bear fruit.

How does he make that happen?
It is through the process of pruning.

Michael Angelo once created a sculpture of an angel from a marble piece that was rejected by many others. When people asked him how he did it, he simply replied: “I chiselled away all that did not look like an angel.” No one will tell you that chiselling away is a pleasant process. Pruning, likewise, is a painful process. But God does that to branches that are already bearing fruit so that it will bear even more fruit for God’s glory.

Often the difficulties that come into your life are part of God’s pruning process. At the end of the day he would like to see Jesus in you. And it is the Holy Spirit who will ultimately make us resemble the Son of God (1 Corinthians 15:49). So the sap that runs through the branches is the Holy Spirit.

He Will Bring Glory to Me

Sad to say there are lot of extremes happening in the Name of the Holy Spirit in the Christian world. Let us look at the words of Jesus: “He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you (John 16:14, 15).

The Holy Spirit’s great role in today’s world is to turn the spotlight on Jesus. Therefore wherever the preacher, in sincerity and truth, preaches the blood of Jesus, his sacrificial death and resurrection from the dead the Spirit of God is at work.

But wherever the preacher is focused on speaking about his own ministry, the gifts he has, the miracles he is doing; there the Spirit of God is absent. Wherever the preacher, however great a man or woman of God she is, begs, pleads, and manipulates the crowd for money all the time; the Spirit of God is absent.

The Spirit of God does not draw attention to himself.  Instead the Holy Spirit delights in showcasing Jesus in glory. The glory belongs to Jesus. The Spirit of God will not allow men or women, however great he or she is, to steal the glory away from Jesus.
—

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Lesson 20: I Will Not Leave You as Orphans

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

Jesus was comforting his disciples because to be orphaned is a sad state to be. He told them: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you (John 14:18).”

Jesus was talking about his constant presence with each one of them and with each one of us too. If Bethlehem was, God with us; and Calvary, God for us; then Pentecost is, God within us. So Jesus was talking about each one of us experiencing the very real presence of God in our lives through the gift of the Holy Spirit residing in us.

We have often neglected this ministry of the Holy Spirit. He is the one who makes Jesus real to us. In his time on earth Jesus had to go to the tomb of Lazarus to meet with Martha and Mary and to comfort them. But today, through the Holy Spirit Jesus can be real to anyone in any part of the world at any time of the day or night in whatever situation or circumstance you find yourself to be.

The Sent One

The Father sent the Son into the world. The Son, from the Father, is sending the Holy Spirit into the hearts of believers (John 15:26). Therefore the Holy Spirit is the promised gift to the church. And that is why Jesus asked the disciples to wait for the promise (Acts 1:4, 5).  And it was a kind of birthday gift to the church on the day of Pentecost.

The unique event of Pentecost will not be repeated again. It was this unique gifting of the Holy Spirit to the body of believers that formed the nucleus of the church. Now all who are added to the body of believers are so added because the Holy Spirit has convicted them of sin, and they have looked to Jesus and his shed blood in faith, and have repented having accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour of their lives.

So without the Holy Spirit residing in one’s heart no one can become a child of God and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” without him (1 Corinthians 12:3). No one therefore should tell you that you do not have the Holy Spirit. He was given to the church—the organic body of believers and not the organisation—to be dwelling in us until Jesus comes again.

At the same time the Spirit of God can move mightily in your life only if you give him the control of your lives, and you confess and say goodbye to all known sin in your life, and you live a life of obedience to his gentle whispers in your heart. It is not a one-time experience alone (the Baptism of the Holy Spirit) but a daily experience we all need to have (being filled with the Spirit—Ephesians 5:18).

It Is for Your Good That I am Going Away

Jesus was saying farewell. He was speaking about his suffering, crucifixion and death. For the first time the disciples were feeling helpless. Jesus was no longer going to be with them. But Jesus was trying to tell them that unless he went the Holy Spirit cannot come (see John 16:7)

Let us look at Pentecost once again.

What happened on that day can be compared to a king taking up his rightful place on the throne and distributing gifts to the courtiers. That is what Peter preached about Jesus: “Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear (Acts 2:33).”

“Scriptures make it plain that the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost and ever since is the result of Jesus’ exaltation, glorification, and crowning in heaven. . . . In other words, the outpouring of the Spirit is earth’s evidence and proof of what happened after Jesus’ ascension, not only of the magnificence of His crowning in Heaven, but of His very real coronation power.” – Catherine Marshall in her book, The Helper.

“The Holy Spirit has not been poured out on you or me to prove how great we are, but to prove the greatness of the Son of God.” – Watchman Nee

Jesus had his glorification in mind when he said “It is for your good that I am going away.” His glorification included his cross, resurrection, ascension and crowning in heaven. Without his death on the cross, this outpouring of God’s Spirit would not have been possible.

See John 7:38:

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

To this John adds his comment: “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 (7:39).”
—
The Comforter

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Lesson 19: Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you (John 14:16, 17).”

With these words Jesus introduces “Another Counsellor” who will not only be with the disciples but also live within them. We might read this with a calm mind. But the disciples had just heard that one of them was to betray Jesus and another one was going to deny him.

They had just heard with certainty that Jesus was going away from them. They had just experienced Jesus washing their feet—a task that only the lowest of slaves was asked to do in those days. All this was a bit too much for them.

The sudden feel the disciples felt that night of being left alone—orphaned—without Jesus was something neither you nor me can understand. No wonder they felt left behind as “orphans (see 14:18).” It is in this context that Jesus introduces to them the blessed Holy Spirit.

“Jesus had been with them, but the Holy Spirit was in them and would remain in them. There was no fear that he might go away. He would remain with them always. And what He was to them He is to us also—a permanent presence.”–from The Holy Spirit, Our Counsellor by Selwyn Hughes.

Another Counsellor

The Greek word parakletos is the word used for Counsellor.
The word basically means “someone called alongside” to help. Another helper does not mean a substitute. It means like the other or another of the same kind. It simply means “like Jesus.” See Acts 16:6, 7 where the “Holy Spirit” and the “Spirit of Jesus” are used interchangeably. The Holy Spirit comes not because Jesus is absent, but he comes to confirm the presence of Jesus.

Several words in English are used to capture the meaning of the Greek word parakletos:

  • Advocate is one word. A legal term has been used because the Holy Spirit takes up our case in our defense like a lawyer does in court. An advocate is one called to our side to help; isn’t he?
  • Comforter is another word. Four hundred years ago when the King James Bible (1611 A.D.) used that term, the word comfort had the meaning of giving strength. But in modern usage comfort is a bit soft.
  • Helper is a good word that is used, but again that also suggests someone lower in rank which is not true about the Holy Spirit. He is God himself. The Bible tells us he is our helper in prayer. Read Romans 8:26, 27 and find out how he helps in our prayers.
  • Counsellor is another word. Of course it suggests to us the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and his constant help to us when we need his guidance. And when we reject his counsel we grieve the person of the Holy Spirt (Ephesians 4:30). What a gentle and loving person the Spirit of God is even though he is someone with power unlimited!

No one of the above terms is perhaps enough to communicate to us the full meaning of the term “parakletos” to us. But the more important point to note is that the counsel the Holy Spirit gives will be no different from that of Jesus when he was on earth. In other words the Holy Spirit will not give you advice or counsel or guidance that is against the truth revealed in the Bible.
—
Read more on The Promise in The Holy Spirit Series

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Lesson 18: “I Am the True Vine.”

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

John 15:1
Israel the Vine and Jesus the True Vine
Jesus is speaking about the intimate union we can have with him. In a theological sense, Israel was the vine that God had planted (see Isaiah 5:1—7). But it continually failed to witness to God and was not the light God wanted it to be to the nations of the world. Now Jesus is applying the image of the vine to himself. Therefore he emphasizes the word “true” vine. Through belief in him, we the branches, the church or the body of Christ can bear fruit by abiding or remaining in him.

Warning
The warning in this passage should not be missed. God the Father cuts off every branch that does not bear fruit. As far as the vine is concerned this is literally true. Too many branches without fruit take away the nutrients away from the fruit-bearing branches. Therefore it was important to mercilessly cut off branches that did not bear fruit. And the wood of the vine was good for nothing except to be burned and destroyed!

As we are busy with Christian activities including that of in social media, have we forgotten to bear fruit? Busyness is not the same as fruitfulness! The possibility of being rejected by Christ because of our uselessness in his kingdom is a very serious warning. Jesus is calling us to remain in him. Any busy Christian activity without remaining in him comes under the threat of this warning.

Remember that the only reason why Jesus cursed the fig tree was because it  had plenty of leaves and gave an appearance or pretense of fruitfulness but had no fruit in it (Mark 11:12—25). It can happen to you and me if we do not produce fruit.

Pruning
God the Father prunes the branches. Often the difficulties that come into our lives are part of this pruning process. The process itself is painful. But there is a purpose. That is to make us even more fruitful.

Pruning can also be compared to a sculptor like Michael Angelo creating a statue, for example, out of marble. He chisels away all that does not look like an angel if he is making the statue of an angel. The process is painful if the statue indeed had life in it; isn’t it?

A Disciplined Life
The call to remain in him or abide in him is a call to a disciplined life. It calls you and me to give up sinful attitudes, rebellion, pride and disobedience to God.

“To ‘abide in me’ expresses the continuous act by which the Christian lays aside all he might draw from his own wisdom, strength or merit to derive all from Christ” – Godet.

Prayer
Prayer is a continual expression of our remaining in Jesus. When we pray in the way God wishes us to, our prayers will be focused on bearing fruit for God’s glory rather than on getting our selfish desires met. It is only when we pray for God to be glorified in our lives can God answer our prayers in the name of Jesus. In Biblical times a name represented the entire personality and character of a person. So our prayers should always reflect the character of Jesus for it to be answered.

There is nothing wrong in asking for our needs to be met. But when we forget the fact that Jesus came to this world to save sinners and that message has to reach the ends of the earth and we have to do our part; then our prayers will take a different tone.

Griffith Thomas points out, “There is scarcely a passage in the Gospels without a self-assertion of Jesus coming out in connection with his teaching. His message and his claims are really inextricable.” If you remove His claims, you will have to remove His life and teachings also. These three are so closely linked that you cannot remove one and keep the other – from The Supremacy of Christ by Ajith Fernando.

Abide in Me
(John 15:4)
Remain in me.
Never forget this lesson.
Do not try to be too busy for God.
What he desires is that you come and spend time with him.
Most of us were taught to spend five minutes in reading a Psalm and in prayer each day.
How misleading that advice was.
If you can rise up early than usual you can easily spend an hour with God.
It will become a habit.
It is love for him that makes it possible.
Don’t ask me how to do it. If you thirst for him you will find him. See Jeremiah 29:12, 13.

I read somewhere the story about a novelist who fell in love with a woman. He tried to win her heart but she was not interested. Anyway he presented her a copy of the latest novel he had written. She took that and just threw it in some corner of a shelf in her room. After some years she for some strange unknown reason fell in love with him. The first thing she did was to find that copy of the novel she had thrown somewhere and read it in full. What made her do it? Love for the author. Simple; isn’t it?

Bible reading becomes a joy when you fall in love with the author. Bible reading then becomes a secret meeting between two lovers!

Read more posts on prayer:
The Secret of Prayer Posts Lists
Pathways of Prayer

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Lesson 17: “I Am the Way and the Truth and the Life.”

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

John 14:6
The Way
Thomas wanted to be sure about the way Jesus was going. His failure to understand and his question to Jesus was the occasion for one of the greatest statements Jesus ever made about himself: “I am the way and the truth and the life.”

Jesus is not giving us directions like Google Maps: “Go right, after 700 metres take the first left, then proceed 2 kilometres and so on.” He is not pointing out how to get there but he is pointing us to himself. He is the way. Therefore, his command, “Follow me” becomes all the more important.

The Truth
William Barclay points out something important about moral truth. A man’s character does not affect his teaching of geometry or physics or chemistry. But if a man proposes to teach moral truth, his character makes all the difference in the world. For example, an adulterer who teaches the necessity of purity or an aggressive dominating person who teaches about humility is bound to be ineffective.

Moral truth cannot be conveyed solely in words; it must be conveyed in example. And that is precisely where the greatest human teacher must fall down. No teacher has ever embodied* the truth he taught—except Jesus. Many a man could say: “I have taught you the truth.” Only Jesus could say: “I am the Truth.” [*embody means to represent in human form.]

The Life
As we look at the prayer of Jesus we see him define life: “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (John 17:3).” No other definition of life is needed. “In him was life, and that life was the light of men (John 1:4).  John also wrote in his letter: “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5:11, 12).

Exclusive Claim
Jesus in continuation of the claim, “I am the way and the truth and the life,” said, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” Many people find this difficult to accept. But Jesus spoke the truth. The cross and the innocent and precious blood he shed there have opened the way to the Father (“a new
and living way” Hebrews 10:19, 20) to all who believe in him. He alone leads to the Father!

Related Post

In Search for the Truth

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Lesson 16: “I Am the Resurrection and the Life.”

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

John 11:25
Here is a claim no man or woman in human history has made. The complete mastery over death is what Jesus claimed. The resurrection of Jesus is proof of the sinless life that Jesus lived and the complete acceptance of his shed blood on the cross of Calvary as satisfaction of God’s justice (see Romans 1:4, Hebrews 13:20).

In the resurrection of Jesus is the certain hope that beyond our tears and sorrows and pain and suffering and death, there is life and joy in the resurrected lives we will live in the presence of God.

We find here the great message that turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6). It was not Bethlehem and the manger, it was not the visit of the wise men, it was not the angelic chorus, it was not the mount of transfiguration that the disciples preached. They were so moved by the empty tomb and the presence of a Risen Saviour and Lord. The disciples suddenly were face to face with Life that death could not hold. So they went to all the world to preach the crucified Christ (1 Corinthians 1:23) and the Risen Christ (Acts 4:2).

In Revelation 1:17 and 18, John records what the Risen Christ told him at the Island of Patmos: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One. I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

What a mighty Risen God we serve! Amen. Hallelujah (Revelation 19:4b)!

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Lesson 15: “I Am the Good Shepherd.”

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

John 10:11
A Leader

“ ‘Shepherd’ was the name he [God] gave then to those to whom he had entrusted the political, moral, and spiritual leadership of his people. In Ezekiel 34, God rejects the shepherds who had failed and he himself promised to come to be the good shepherd of Israel. Jesus takes up that theme and applies it to himself.” – Ronald S. Wallace

David knew God as “my Shepherd (Psalm 23:1).” David himself was a shepherd boy before he became king and therefore knew the special personal relationship a shepherd had with his sheep.

“The shepherd’s task was not only constant but dangerous, for in addition, he had to guard the flock against wild animals, especially against wolves, and there were always thieves and robbers ready to steal the sheep. Constant vigilance, fearless, courage, patient love for his flock, were the necessary characteristics of the shepherd.”– William Barclay.

Therefore the people of Palestine always applied the name of shepherd to their king; and Jesus took the shepherd’s image as the type of self-sacrifice.

The Voice of the Shepherd
The sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. The shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. In Palestine, the sheep was with the shepherd often for years and had descriptive names like “Brown-leg” and “Black-ear” that the shepherd called them. Are you able to hear the voice of Jesus your good shepherd? Is God intimate with you so much as to call you by names that describe you through the eyes of his love and care for you?

The shepherd led the sheep out as he went on ahead of them. The purpose was to ensure the path ahead was safe. Often the sheep had to be encouraged to follow as well.

A traveller tells how he saw a shepherd leading his flock come to a ford to cross a stream. The sheep was unwilling to cross. The shepherd finally solved the problem by carrying one of the lambs across. When its mother saw her lamb on the other side she crossed too, and soon all the rest of the flock had followed her.

When Jesus talked about himself as the good shepherd he is also revealing his heart which is always ready to encourage you.

Willingness to Give Up His Life
The true shepherd is recognised by his willingness to give up his life to protect and preserve the life of his sheep. Jesus is not a helpless victim whose life is taken from him. He was given authority to willingly lay down his life and take it up again (John 10:17, 18). No other person in human history can make this claim. He not only spoke like that but also showed that on Calvary.

“Jesus’ point is that the man who works only for reward chiefly thinks of the money; the man who works for love thinks chiefly of the people he is trying to serve. Jesus was the good shepherd who so loved his sheep that for their safety he would risk, and one day give, his life.”– William Barclay.

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Lesson 14: “I Am the Gate for the Sheep.”

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

John 10:7

“When he [Jesus] brings us to the Father, he calls himself a Door [or gate]; when he takes care of us, a Shepherd.”—Chrysostom.

In Palestine there were two types of sheepfolds. There were communal sheep-folds were the entire flock of a village was sheltered at night. That had a strong door and only the guardian had a key. Jesus was referring to this one in verses 2 and 3 (Chapter 10).

But in warm seasons the flocks did not return to the village at night, but stayed in open fields [see Luke 2:8; it could not have been winter then!]. They were then taken care of in sheepfolds that were just open spaces enclosed by a wall. There was no door to it but just an opening. At night the shepherd himself lay across the opening. No sheep could get in or get out without going over the shepherds body. Truly, the shepherd was the gate or the door of the sheep.

“This is what Jesus was thinking when he said: “I am the door.” Through him, and through him alone, men find access to God” – William Barclay
(see also Ephesians 2:18 and Hebrews 10:20).

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Lesson 13: “I Am the Light of the World.”

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

John 8:12
The OT Background
The Feast of the Tabernacles (John 7:1 onwards; see also v. 14 and v.37.) was the context in which Jesus declared himself to be the light of the world. Unless we try to understand the background we will get no idea why Jesus was claiming to be the light of the world.

One of the great highlights of the Feast of the Tabernacles was when four huge candelabra in the Court of the Women in the Temple was lit. It is said that the light and illumination from those lamps was so brilliant that it lit up every courtyard in Jerusalem. This light was a reminder to people of the Pillar of Fire in the wilderness which was the Presence of God with them (Exodus 13:21).

Moreover Isaiah had declared that the Servant of the LORD was to be “a light for the gentiles (Isaiah 49:6).” Jesus is now making the claim that in him that expectation was met.

The Meaning of Life
He came to give meaning to the life of every man who believes in him. He came to give every man a sense of purpose in life and the hope of reaching a heavenly destiny (“for I know where I came from and where I am going. v.14). Thus he was clearing away the darkness concerning the meaning of life.

Jesus Reveals the Father
But more importantly, as you read through the entire chapter, the question the Jews are asking him is about Jesus claiming God to be his Father. They are asking him, “Where is your Father (v. 19)?”

Every religion in the world is man’s search for God. And this search has been dominated by fear. Here is Jesus showing to the world that God his Father is a loving Father. Who else in all the world has shown us that God is our Father in heaven? In this wiping out of the ignorance from the minds of men about God, Jesus has brought light to our understanding of God. It is in that sense he is the light of the world. Read also 1 John 3:1 and 1 John 4:18.

John points out that his conversation happened in the temple area where the offerings were put (here 13 big funnel shaped boxes were kept in one of which the widow put in her two very small copper coins. Mark 12:41, 42.). Now John tells us this because this was very near the area where the Sanhedrin (the highest Jewish ruling council of which Nicodemus was a member) met, but because the time of Jesus had not come, no one arrested him (v. 20). See also John 11:47.

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Lesson 12: “I Am the Bread of Life.”

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

John 6:35
The Debate About Manna
Jesus had just fed the five thousand with five small loaves of barley and two small fish. The miracle was fresh in the minds of all. Jesus used that incident to talk about himself as the bread of life.

In the minds of his Jewish audience the miracle of manna raining down from heaven for forty years in the wilderness was strong (v. 31). Jesus tells them that it is not Moses who gave them the bread from heaven but it is his Father who gives them the true bread from heaven (v. 32). Jesus now told them that he is the bread of God who came down from heaven and giving life to the world (v. 33).

The call of Jesus to them and to us is to believe in him the one God has sent (v. 29). And he declares himself to be “the bread of life.” Jesus promises nourishment to all who come to him. The great assurance that he will never drive away anyone the Father gives to him and who comes to him (v. 37) is declared.

The Jews couldn’t understand how someone they knew, the son of Mary and of Joseph, an ordinary man can claim to have come down from heaven (v. 42). But Jesus repeatedly tells them that the one who believes in him has everlasting life (v. 40, 47).

Are You Looking for Temporary Satisfaction?
But people then, and even today, are looking for temporary satisfaction not eternal life (see verses 26, 34). What are you looking for in Jesus? If you are looking for someone to satisfy your earthly needs alone, you are going to be disappointed. Jesus asked the crowds not to work for the food that spoils and perishes (v. 27).

As Jesus continued to talk about eating his body and drinking his blood (v. 53—56), people found it a hard teaching (v. 60) and grumbled (v. 61). “From that time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him (v. 66). Finally, Jesus asks the Twelve, “You do not want to leave too, do you (v. 67)?” What is your response to this question?

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Lesson 11: “Before Abraham Was Born, I Am!”

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

John 8:58
The Argument Begins
Jesus is speaking to the Jews who believed in him (8:31) and there begins an argument as Jesus speaks about knowing the truth and the truth setting them free. The Jews said they have never been slaves of anyone; so there is no need for them to be set free. They claimed that Abraham was their father (v. 39). Then they claimed God to be their Father (v. 41).

John uses the expression ego eimi in Greek (“I am”) thirty times when recording the statements of Jesus. The significance of this is in John’s Greek translation of Jesus’ words.

According to the rules of Greek grammar, in a statement like, “I am the bread,” it would be sufficient to say, “Am the bread” in Greek.

But if you want to emphasize the subject, then you would use the pronoun.

John does this thirty times in the “I am” statements of Jesus. We can say it was used because John wanted to give it a special emphasis.

– from The Supremacy of Christ by Ajith Fernando

Jesus said that they are not doing what their father Abraham did (v. 40) but instead they “belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire (v. 44).” The Jews could not understand the claim of Jesus that anyone who kept his word will not see death. This was because Abraham (who had kept God’s word) died and so did the prophets (v. 53).

Are You Greater Than Our Father Abraham?
Now their question is “Are you greater than our father Abraham (v. 53)? That reminds us of the Samaritan woman’s question: “Are you greater than our father Jacob . . . (John 4:12)?”

We all look up to role models in life; don’t we? That is indeed good. But a day must come in our lives when we realize that Jesus is better to me than anybody else on earth. Read the cry of the Psalmist: “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:25, 26).”

Practically, it means that Jesus should become Number One in your life, the throne of your heart to him alone should belong, and your love for your most loved one on earth should feel like hatred (see Luke 14:26) compared to your love for Jesus! Can we say along with John the Baptist, “He must become greater; I must become less (John 3:30).”

Jesus Equates Himself to God
To the question of the Jews, Jesus replied: “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad (v. 56). The Jews simply couldn’t digest that. They asked: “You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham (v. 57).”

To this Jesus replied: “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am.” No wonder they picked up stones to stone Jesus. He was boldly equating himself to God.

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Lesson 10: The Last Night–Jesus Takes Centre Stage

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

Let us look at the last night of Jesus on earth. John devotes Chapters 13 to 19 to the last twenty-four hours of Jesus on earth.

I Am He!
We find Jesus predicting his betrayal to the Twelve. Then he makes this statement:

“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He (John 13:19).”

Background verses: Jesus is using God’s name I Am Who I Am. Read Exodus 3:14 where God reveals this name, his personal name, YHWH name to Moses. In Deuteronomy 32:39, God says, “See now that I myself am He!” You also find a similar usage in Isaiah 43:10, “so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.”

Jesus says that “I am he” or “I am the one I claim to be” in John 8:25 and 28 too. His claim represents the timelessness of God and the eternal being of Christ. It equates him with God.

Jesus in Complete Control
“It was as he dismissed Judas that he most fully and closely demonstrated his right to have such a title. He gave him the sop and took complete command of the situation: ‘Do quickly what you are going to do (v. 27b).’ He acted as if he were in complete control—as indeed he was—even of the evil Judas hatefully intended. He thus displayed God’s complete sovereignty* over all that was intended to lead to his own death (compare Acts 2:23, 3:18).”  – Ronald S. Wallace
[*Sovereignty means having supreme power or authority.]

And It Was Night
John, as we noted earlier, is not just telling the facts about the life of Jesus. He is also helping us understand the meaning of what happened. Here, as soon as Judas leaves, John comments, “And it was night (John 13:30).”

He was not just reporting the fact that it was night. He had already mentioned about the evening meal (13:2). Therefore the mention of night is not just reporting the fact that night had set in. Instead it is a recollection of the darkness that came into their hearts at that time.

Judas, at that point in time, as the door closed behind him was going out from the light of the world into “outer darkness.”

The next time John reports of dawn was when Jesus was risen from the dead: “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, . . . (John 20:2). The stone from the entrance of the tomb had been removed. Night and darkness had given way to Sonrise even as it gave way to sunrise— the break of dawn!

Are you passing through some “night experience” in your life right now? Is there some mistake that happened that you can do nothing about? Has some habit of sin taken a strong hold in your life? Are you sorrowing over a personal loss? Is your career in trouble? Are there difficulties in marriage? Are finances running out?

Jesus never promised a life without problems. But let us look beyond the night and wait expectantly for the Risen Christ to bring light and hope into our troubled lives. Read also Psalm 18:28, Isaiah 50:10, Micah 7:8, 9 regarding God’s light shining in our darkness and keeping our lamps burning!

Recall: When John reported the sign of Jesus walking on the water (John 6:16—21), there are two things that he had in mind.

    • One, the darkness around them and the trouble they faced and the absence of Jesus. A night experience is one in which you feel keenly the absence of Jesus.
    • Two, the fact that Jesus came to them. He did not leave them alone in their difficulty and John records that when Jesus came and they took him into the boat, “immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.” John is emphasising the difference Jesus makes when he is with us in our “night experiences.”

When Judas Was Gone
In verse 31 of Chapter 14, which reads, “And when he was gone, Jesus said,” we find more than a mention of time!

The going out of Judas from among them gave some relief to Jesus. For Judas, with his heart of unbelief, was a barrier for Jesus preventing him from opening up his heart to his disciples.

Only after Judas leaves, Jesus speaks so lovingly to The Eleven. He addresses them as “My children (13:33)” and he calls them “friends (15:15)” and gives them a new command to love each other (13:34, 15:12) and demands obedience as proof of their love for him (14:21).

Is Jesus your friend?
Do you love him?
If you love him, do you obey his commands?
Is love for others real in your life?

The Hatred of the World
Jesus speaks realistically about the hatred the world will show towards his disciples because the world persecuted him and hated both Jesus and the Father (John 15:18—25).

Read more on “friendship with the world is hatred toward God” in James 4:4. We need to understand this because one of the key emphases in John’s gospel is the hate of the world against God the Father: “He who hates me hates my Father as well (John 15:23).”

We too will be party in the hatred as we make friendship with the world. John uses the words the “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15—17 KJV)” to describe our love for the world.

The Love of the Father
The assurance that the Father himself loves the disciples was given (John 16:27). The reason for the Father’s love is that they had loved Jesus and had believed that he came from God (John 16:27).  When Jesus reached this stage he was speaking plainly about going back to the Father (v. 28).

The Moment of Belief
The disciples were relieved with what they seemed to understand and said so: “This makes us believe that you came from God (v. 30b).” What a moment it is when Jesus says, “You believe at last (v. 31)!” But then Jesus tells them plainly that they are all going to leave him all alone. At the same time Jesus said, “Yet I am not alone for my Father is with me (v. 32b).”

The Gift of His Peace
He tells the disciples that they are going to experience grief (John 16:20) but their grief will turn to joy. The promise that prayer in his name will be answered and answers to prayer will bring joy was given (16:24).

He ends by telling them the purpose of his farewell address: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 17:33).” Two things are clear here. Jesus never promised an easy life to any of his disciples. Instead he realistically told them and us too that we will have trouble in this world.

But he has promised, “In me you may have peace.” The gift of his peace is something we can all be assured about. Ask him for his peace in all the troubles of your life and it will be given to you. We often pray for removal of our troubles. But shouldn’t we first ask for his peace in our situations? Think about it.

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Lesson 9: The Witness of the Disciples of Jesus

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

John himself said about the crucifixion: “The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe (John 19:35).” See also 21:24. Jesus had earlier told them that those were with him from the beginning will testify about him (John 15:27). John had experienced the facts of Jesus’ life first-hand. He therefore is a powerful witness. That is why there is the ring of truth about the gospel he wrote because he wrote about what he had seen and experienced.

Andrew said:
“We have found the Messiah.” – John 1:41

There are three mentions of Andrew in John’s gospel. On all these three occasions we see him introducing someone to Jesus.

He first introduced his brother Peter to Jesus (John 1:40–42). There is something lovable about Andrew. He was always known as the brother of Peter. He was never part of the innermost circle of three—Peter, James, and John. Yet we find him happily taking a back seat.

In the first case it was his selflessness that we saw. In the second instance we see his optimistic attitude as he brings a lad with five loaves and two fish to Jesus (John 6:8–9). He was not sure how this small meal the boy had would be enough for all. Yet he brought the boy to Jesus.

In the third instance we see Andrew thinking beyond his Jewish background. He brings the Greeks to Jesus (John 12:22). Andrew thus becomes a home missionary as well as foreign missionary.

Philip said:
“We have found the One whom Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” –   John 1:44

In this instance is hidden one important truth that we can easily miss. Philip is convinced that Jesus is the One whom Moses wrote about. This is the best understanding we can have of the Old Testament. Beyond the rules and the regulations, the laws, the offerings and sacrifices, the tabernacle and festivals, and the kingdom and the Jewish temple we need to see the fact that they pointed to Jesus Christ.

Nathanael said:
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” –   John 1:49

Jesus is king. We find that people wanted to make him king by force (John 6:15). But that was not God’s method. We find him testifying before Pilate that he is indeed king (John 6:37). And in his death too, the written charge fixed to the cross read: “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS (John 19:19).” Is Jesus the King in your life? If he is, how does that affect your lifestyle? Are you loyal to him? Do you obey him?

Peter said:
“We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” ­–   John 6:69

When many disciples turned back and no longer followed Jesus, he asked the Twelve: “You do not want to leave too, do you?” What a moment that might have been! But Peter was the first to respond. “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life (John 6:68).” Have you come to see the uniqueness of the words of Jesus? You might have read many books, novels, short stories, drama and poetry. Have you found such life-giving words anywhere else?

Martha said,
“Yes Lord,” “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” –   John 11:27

It was to Martha that Jesus made one the greatest statements anyone ever made in all human history: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

See Martha’s response: “Yes Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” What a confession of faith. When Peter said this at Caesarea Philippi it was a normal discussion (see Matthew 18:13—16). But here, Martha was in tears. He brother was dead. But in spite of her sorrow she makes one of the greatest confessions of faith ever.

Isn’t it time that we remove the negative labelling of Martha? We find fault with her and put her in the kitchen because Jesus made a comment about her (Luke 10:41, 42). At the same time we should not fail to see the great confession of faith Martha made in her hour of deepest sorrow!

Again, before we find fault with Martha, let us ask ourselves, “Are we like Mary who chose what is better?” Do we spend unhurried time with God each day? (see Luke 10:39, 42).

Mary Magdalene said:
“I have seen the Lord!” –   John 20:18

It is amazing how Jesus empowered women. In those days a woman was not allowed to testify in court. A woman’s testimony was invalid. Yet Jesus in allowing a woman to carry the good news of the resurrection liberated women to be what God had created them to be.

We find Mary addressing Jesus as “Rabboni” meaning Teacher. That was the last time someone addresses Jesus thus. But she runs with the glorious news that she has seen the Lord. She realizes that the Risen Jesus is more than what she had known till then. The Risen Jesus makes a huge difference in the way we witness to him. But the question is: “Have you seen or experienced the Risen Lord?” It was such an encounter that changed Saul to Paul while he was on the Road to Damascus (see Acts 9, 22, 26).

Thomas said:
“My Lord and my God” –  John 20:28

We all call Thomas, “Doubting Thomas.” It is true that Jesus told him, “Stop doubting and believe.” But then what is the purpose of John telling us of this. It is to show us one of the greatest statements of faith in the gospels. Thomas in response to Jesus says: “My Lord and my God!”

This is the only instance in the gospels where anyone calls Jesus, “God.” John immediately concludes his gospel (Chapter 21 seems to have been added later.) because his purpose was to help people believe that Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:31). Perhaps there is a word of encouragement for each one of us in this incident. Jesus is willing to come to us and clear our doubts; lovely isn’t it?

John wrote:
“Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.” –  John 20:31

John wrote this gospel with a purpose in mind. That purpose is recorded in John 20:31.

Do you have a purpose in life? Is it to gain a good education, have a wonderful career, a family, build a house, and buy a car and so on? Or does this purpose of John—to testify to Jesus Christ—a part of our life?

What is your witness to Jesus Christ? It is easy to compromise Jesus when you talk with others. People are ready to accept him as good teacher, a great healer, a worker of miracles and a holy person and one of the ways to God. But that is not enough. It falls short of what all the witnesses testify to who Jesus is. Therefore be always ready to witness to the truth: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God!

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Lesson 8: The Witnesses to Jesus in the Gospel of John

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

The word “witness” is one of the great key-words of the gospel of John. In this gospel John presents several witnesses to testify to the supreme place of Jesus, his divinity, and his mission.

The word “witness” first occurs in the very first chapter of this gospel. Apostle John is careful to point out that even though John the Baptist was great he was just a signpost pointing to Jesus Christ. In several passages John is careful to paint this picture of John the Baptist as the light of a candle compared to the brilliance of the Son of God shining out (for example see John 3:27—30).

The First Witness: John the Baptist
“There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light (John 1:6—8).”

Witness is someone who does not shine a light on himself but turns the spotlight on to Jesus so that he is bathed in light for all to see. Witnessing is not about telling others what God has done for you but it is about telling others about who Jesus truly is.

The effectiveness of the witness of John is seen when people said regarding Jesus, “Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true (John 10:42).” What was the result? “And in that place many believed in Jesus (John 10:42).”

Life Lesson: To be an effective witness you need not do any miraculous signs. But what is needed is a life lived in humility and sincerity before God and a willingness to point others to Jesus.

→In John Chapter 5:31—47 Jesus talks about four witnesses to him. They are John the Baptist, God the Father, the work that Jesus did, and the Scriptures (especially which Moses wrote).

The Witness of the Father
Jesus always had the realization that he was “sent” by the Father. This thought is expressed many times in John’s gospel (see 5:37, 8:18). This witness in his heart of the strong conviction and assurance that God had sent him was the key to his life and ministry on earth.

“When a man is confronted with Christ there comes an inner conviction that this is none other than the Son of God. Father Tyrrell has said that the world can never get away from that ‘strange man upon the Cross.’ That inner power which always brings our eyes back to Christ even when we wish to forget him, that inner voice which tells us that this Jesus is none other than the Son of God and the Saviour of the world is the witness of God within our souls.” –William Barclay

The Witness of the Work of Jesus
Jesus said: “For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me” (John 5:36). See also 10:25, 14:11. Those who saw his miracles and still hated God and did not believe in him are condemned. (15:24)

“We must note one thing–when John spoke of the works of Jesus, he was not speaking only of the miracles of Jesus; he was thinking of Jesus’ whole life. He was thinking not only of the great outstanding moments, but of the life that Jesus lived every minute of the day.

No man could have done the mighty works that Jesus did unless he was closer to God than any other man ever was; but, equally, no man could have lived that life of love and pity, compassion and forgiveness, service and help in the life of the everyday unless he had been in God and God in him.

It is not by working miracles that we can prove that we belong to Christ, but by living a Christ-like life every moment of every day. It is in the ordinary things of life that we show that we belong to him.” –William Barclay

The Witness of the Scriptures
The Old Testament was given to men to point them to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Jesus, time and again, told his audience that the Scriptures testify to him. John 5:39, 46. See also 1:45.

Did you know that someone can search the Scriptures to prepare a great sermon and still miss Jesus? It is quite possible when your aim is to get knowledge. Jesus said, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life (John 5:39, 40).”

When you treat the Bible as a kind of magic book to get promises for daily living, you are missing Jesus. That is not the purpose of the Bible. Its great purpose is to witness to Jesus Christ.

So when you read the Bible the first question that you should be asking yourself is not “What is the Bible speaking to my situation today?” No. That is not the best question to ask. The first and foremost question is, “What does the passage I am reading speak about God?”

The Witness of John the Baptist
Jesus mentioned John the Baptist and referred to him as a lamp that burned and gave light. The light John the Baptist had was not his own but it was borrowed light. He was like a lamp that was lit by God to shine the light. His message was not cold; it had the warmth of fire in it. He was convinced about the message he was preaching. Therefore it convicted men as well. Unless a preacher is on fire for God himself he cannot move the heart of others. John the Baptist burned out for God after guiding people to the true light.

John testified after he saw the Holy Spirit come down from heaven and remain on Jesus: “I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God (John 1:34).”

“He makes His ministers a flame of fire. Am I ignitable? God deliver me from the dread asbestos of ‘other things.’ Saturate me with the oil of the Spirit that I may be aflame. But flame is transient, often short lived. Canst thou bear this, my soul – short life? … Make me thy fuel, Flame of God.” – Jim Elliot  (Missionary to the Auca Indians who was speared to death at the young age of 28 on 8 January 1965 along with four of his missionary friends as they made a plane landing to reach the unreached savage tribe.)

→In John Chapter 15 Jesus talks about the witness of the Holy Spirit

The Witness of the Holy Spirit
“When the Counsellor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me (John 15:26).”

“To the Jew the Spirit had two functions. The Spirit brought God’s truth to men, and the Spirit enabled men to recognize that truth when they saw it. It is the work of the Spirit within our hearts which enables us to recognize Jesus for what he is and to trust him for what he can do.”—William Barclay

—
The Holy Spirit

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Lesson 7: Jesus’ Conversation with the Samaritan Woman

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

Matthew Henry divides the conversation Jesus had with the Samaritan woman (John Chapter 4) into four heads:

  1. Conversation concerning the water (v. 7—15).
  2. Conversation concerning her husband (v. 16—18).
  3. Conversation concerning the place of worship (v. 19—24).
  4. Conversation concerning the Messiah (v. 25—26).

The above division is helpful to understand the conversation.

The Context
Samaria is in the middle between north and south of Israel. The people of Northern Israel were carried away to captivity in Assyria. A lot of people from other races were brought in there in 722 B.C. The few Jews who had remained in the land intermarried with other races and became mixed blood. Their faith also got mixed up with other religions. They are the Samaritans who later erected a place of worship at Mount Gerizim too (referred to in v. 19). For these reasons Samaritans were hated by the orthodox Jews.

Conversation Starters
Jesus broke barriers. He talked to a woman which Rabbis normally did not do in public (see v. 27) even if it is his wife. Jesus was tired from the journey and he used it as an opportunity to start a conversation. “Will you give me a drink?”

It is a lesson for all of us. The starting point of a conversation with a non-believer can be a natural one. It can slowly lead to helping that person find Jesus. The importance of having a context is important. Try to build relationships with people. Then you will find it natural and easy to share with them, Jesus.

The Gift of God
Jesus talked about himself as the gift of God (John 4:10). This is yet another clear indication that none of us can earn our salvation based on any of our good deeds. Simply we have to say “Thank you” and accept it as a gift.

Paul was so moved in his heart as he was writing about being generous in giving. And as he was writing about sowing generously, his heart overflowed with the thought of God’s great generosity in giving his Son Jesus to the world. All on a sudden he praises God with this lovely expression: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift (2 Corinthians 9:15. Compare John 3:16—the generosity of God’s giving!)!”

Living Water—Jesus Is the One Who Satisfies
Jesus talks about living water. Jacob’s well (dug two thousand years before the time of Jesus) was around one hundred feet deep and water collected in it from beneath the soil. Jesus is contrasting that water to water that flows in abundance. Living water to the listener meant running water in contrast to water that remained still in the well. The Samaritan woman naturally wondered from where Jesus was going to provide that refreshing running water.

It is an interesting episode in Jesus’s conversation with people that when Jesus said something heavenly the listener understood it in an earthly way. With Nicodemus when Jesus talked about being born again, he tried to ask, “How can that be?” Can a man “enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born?”

With the Samaritan woman Jesus was talking about himself being a complete satisfaction—living water—and she was answering him by saying that the well is deep and he had nothing to draw with. She also became practical when she said, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

Both responses make Jesus talk more on the subject. Are you able to understand what Jesus is speaking to you is about eternal things. Or are you still responding to him with practical questions?

The whole point of the conversation about living water is that natural water does not satisfy thirst permanently. But in Jesus we can find complete satisfaction. Just look at your life. With what are you trying to fill that vacuum or emptiness in your heart? Jesus is inviting you today to himself—the source of living water. Will you accept that invitation?

Jesus with Sensitivity Confronts the Samaritan Woman
When Jesus confronts her with the situation regarding her married life, she suddenly diverts the question to a seemingly spiritual question—about worship. See verse 19. Jesus however answers that question saying that true worship is not confined to a place—but people can worship God from anywhere if they worship in spirit and in truth. It is worship that is spiritual and real which comes from the heart.

When Jesus deals with you, he will not allow you to escape with sin in your life. He will certainly point it out to you. Instead of condemning her, Jesus simply said to her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” That made her to realize that there is a thirst in her life which she was trying to quench the wrong way.

Again, as she goes back to her town, her testimony was: “He told me everything I ever did (v. 39). The deep insight Jesus has about what has happened in your life so far should be motivation to seek him out. The Samaritan woman was convicted in her heart. Even though she tried to deflect the conversation away from her life’s dissatisfactions to arguments about place of worship; Jesus turned her eyes to himself—the Messiah—by saying, “I who speak to you am he.”

Jesus Delighted to Do the Will of God
John is very careful to show us the divinity of Jesus that he is the Son of God. At the same time he shows us how much Jesus was the “Word made flesh.” In this incident he is shown as tired from the journey (v. 6). He needed to eat food (v. 31) but he had infinitely higher priorities that satisfied him. In this case, he found delight in doing the will of God and finishing the work that God gave him to do.

There seems to have been a divine compulsion in him choosing this route to travel (see v. 4) and he brought that to a completion by leading the Samaritan woman to recognize him as the Messiah. What a joy it gave him to lead one single soul to eternal life!

This incident tells us how much value Jesus puts on a single soul. The Samaritan woman had no great reputation. But Jesus met her and pointed out the emptiness of her life. She had thirst more than for water. Jesus helped her realize her true need.

Meeting the Christ
Jesus declared himself to be the Messiah to the Samaritan woman (as well as the man who was born blind—John 9:37. The blind man responded with worship. See v. 38). Jesus is not pointing out to her religion in in Samaria or in Jerusalem but he was pointing her to himself.

The Samaritan woman comes to realize who Jesus is. Her real need is met. She leaves the water jar and goes back to her town. Her testimony leads an entire town to come out to Jesus. And many believed in him as the Saviour of the world.

Food for Thought
How are you trying to deflect Jesus’ claim to be your Lord and Saviour? And when you have found him, is it not natural that you have a desire to share him with others? When Jesus is concerned about a single soul, like the disciples are we concerned about eating lunch?

Again, Jesus challenged the disciples about the harvest. Isn’t it now the right time to see the need of people ready to listen and open their hearts to the gospel? You need to “open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest (v. 35b).”

Nicodemus and the Samaritan Woman: Two Contrasting Characters

Nicodemus

The Samaritan Woman
A Jew

A man

A learned person

He was morally upright

He was wealthy and from the upper class of society

He recognized Jesus’ merits and sought him out

He was serious and dignified

 A Samaritan

A woman

An ignorant person

She was sinful

She was poor and was probably an outcast from society

She saw in Jesus a curious traveller and was indifferent to him

She was flippant (not having a respectful attitude) and possibly boisterous (noisy, energetic and cheerful)

[Adapted from: JOHN—The Gospel of Belief by Merrill C. Tenney]

Worship
If you look at people worshipping God as described in the Bible it almost always is accompanied by a posture of the body showing respect, awe, reverence or adoration to God. We find people bowing down to the ground. We find people lifting up hands to God in prayer. We have records of people kneeling down. But imitating all these will not be true worship.

Today many go to church to see others and be seen by them. Going to church is a habit rather than having a purpose. Jesus, in his talk with the Samaritan woman, speaks of the time that worship is not going to be place-centric (people will worship neither in Jerusalem nor on this mountain). Instead, people will worship God in spirit and in truth.

Worship fails when people tell a preacher that his sermon was good and that they enjoyed listening to it. It succeeds when people go home having experienced God. Worship fails when people enjoy the music but that does not lead them to think about the One about whom the song was all about. Some people pray as if God is there just to sign plans approved by people. That is not worship.

Worship does not start unless you start with God. Think a moment about God and who he is. Think about his holiness, his justice, his righteousness, his infinite love, the cross and the shed blood of Jesus, his wrath against sin and the sinner, and the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts making the presence of God real to us. “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name (Psalm 100:4).”

Worship cannot end unless you see your utter sinfulness in God’s eyes. Often we come to God with the attitude of the righteous Pharisee. What was his problem? He was comparing himself to someone else. But worship means you stand before God like that sinner. And see yourself as God sees you.

Worship cannot continue unless you repent and experience the forgiving love of God (Read Psalm 51).

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