Right on time

Today, my devotions consisted of a study from the Bible app. The study is called Right from the Heart- one minute devotions. Today's devotion was titled "God's clock" and the scripture was 2 Peter 3:8, " But don’t forget this one thing, dear friends: To the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day." This is really a crazy concept that God doesn't operate in accordance to time. Yet, when Jesus came to earth, he limited himself and he became subject to a completely earthy power, time.
It is interesting to me how time is viewed differently, even around America, even within one house. People can view time so differently. One person may operate to get a thousand things done in a day to have it be "successful" and another person might do less so they can "enjoy" more of the day, but really this is something God does not worry about. Jesus knew how to view time. He knew his purpose and He even tells His Father that he "accomplished the work God had for him..." John 17:4 "I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do."
Jesus knew how to work within the limitations of time. He had His goals marked out by the Father and then worked to complete them.
We may struggle to know what God has set for us to do, and I believe God has something different for each one of us, but there are some commands we must follow daily. Daily we are to take up our cross and follow after our leader Jesus. Don't worry about how much you can get done in a day. Worry more about if you're accomplishing the work God has given you to do in your life. Zoom out a little from daily activities to the over all picture and lean on God.

Reflecting on the class of Romans

After reflecting on the first day of class I realized that I have to know my world. Paul was an apostle to the gentiles. He knew the world he was living in. For example, in Paul’s times, there were two major groups, there was Stoicism, and there were Epicureans. Both believed in a god that is flawed, imperfect, unlike the God of the Bible. I need to realize that in the world today, there are many different religions and sects, but really there are two major groups. There are those who believe in the God of the Bible, and there are those who do not. 

That leads me to remember the three major parts of the first century Jewish theology. They believed that one God created the world. That the world is responsible to God. And this God has called Israel to be His people and turn from sin. They believed that monotheism and election ushers in eschatology. Many people in my world today do not believe like this, and the Romans class has challenged me to think about what the people around me believe, and how to speak truth into their lives. 

I learned about the overview of chapter break downs. Romans1-4 talks about how God has been true to the covenant (by sending the messiah) that was established with  Abraham. In Romans chapters 5-8 God deals with the sin of Adam. Through Jesus, God’s people are all saved like what was done for Israel of old. Lead through the wilderness to the Spirit. In Romans chapters 9-11 reveal that Israel has failed to believe in the Messiah. In these chapters, Paul is wrestling with why God’s people rejected Jesus. Finally, in chapters 12-16 there are a new people and new humanity.

On the second day of class, I learned that Romans 1:16-17 are the climax of the book of Romans. It says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” 

A big concept that I learned on the second day of class was that righteousness is not given to is, it is God’s nature. He does not impute His righteousness on us, He imparts it to us.  Another quote that I really appreciated was “Faith is trusting God in spite of the evidence and then you watch the evidence change.” This is a great reminder for my life! I am blessed with the spiritual gift of faith, but sometimes I see that it is hard for peers to believe in spite of seemingly opposite evidence. 

Then, on Thursday, I learned that my past does not dictate my present or my future, yet, it still exists. This was a liberating thought. Then the teacher reminded the class that it takes the community of faith to help us get past our past. Getting connected in a youth group helped me to get “past my past” when I was younger. 

While sin no longer reigns, it remains. However, through the freedom of Christ, we can choose to sin, but we are not bound to it. When the heart is changed, we are happy that we are no longer living in Adam’s nature. Because of the new life in Christ, we simply cannot continue in our old careers as sinners. As far as sin is concerned, we are dead. In baptism, we symbolize how we died to sin, and are raised to a new life.

The Word became Flesh

John 1:1-4, 9-14

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him, was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the Life was the light of men... The True light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

The book of John opens up in a way completely different than the other gospels. Matthew opens up with a genealogy and wise men, Mark opens up with the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, and Luke opens with a genealogy and shepherds. John, however, pulls back the curtain to allow readers to see into history, even before time existed. 

As Jesus’ disciple, John presumably wrote the fourth book of the New Testament, John. Some people will argue this fact, however, tradition suggests that the author of John is John, Jesus’ disciple. Though his audience is not clearly identified, it is logical to assume it was written to a group of disciples. Along with the authorship, the date of the book of John is also debated. People can be found who support an earlier date (80-100AD) and also to support a later date (125 AD). Just as with almost every other subject concerning John, his purpose is also debated. Although John states the purpose of his book in John 20:30 and 31, it is still debated. It reads, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” His purpose is debated because of one word, believe. In Greek, there are two words that can be used here, pisteuēte which means continuing to believe and pisteusēte which means coming to believe. What isn't debated is that John writes with a very distinct style. Johannine is the study of John’s work. A reader will notice that some of his writing characteristics are evident even within the first few verses or even words of John’s Gospel. John writes with common, everyday words, yet often he uses them for double meanings. An example of this occurs in the first verse, when he is talking about “the Word” (John 1:1). Later in the chapter “the Word” is identified as God’s Son (John 1:14). Another one of John’s writing uniquenesses is his simplistic sentence structure. Examples of this can be seen all throughout the book. By the use of these two characteristics, John is able to have a broad audience of both learned people as well as laymen. 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). This alludes back to Genesis 1:1 when “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The question becomes, who or what is “the Word” (or in the Greek logos)? Looking into the next verse, one can see that “the Word” is a being and a him, “He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:2). In this verse, John is sharing with the reader that “the Word” has ever been present, even before there was time. “The Word” has always existed. Skipping the information about John (John 1:5 through 8) and jumping ahead to 1:14, the reader sees, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Unwrapping this truth, leads the reader to understand that Jesus is “the Word.” Jesus was there, with God, before time began. Other passages can be found to back up that Jesus has always existed. In Jude 1:25, Jude (brother to James and Jesus) says, “to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” John 17:5 also shows that Jesus preexisted to the world, “And now Father, glorify me in Your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” 

Hebrews 1:1 and 2 adds a new light to this, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, who He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world.” This is amazing! In the past, God spoke His word to the prophets, but then, He sent “the Word” in the form of Jesus, His son. Second Timothy 1:9 says, “… not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace, which He gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.” Thus, even before all time, before the world existed, before the ages began, God had a plan to send Jesus to the world as the Word to bring life as light to man. 

As the reader continues, he or she will find that, “In Him [the Word] was life, and the life was the light of men.” John is setting up this theme of light which he will continue to use all throughout his Gospel. Jesus’ life has the potential to bring light and understanding to all people. Unfortunately, humanity is often blinded to the light and spiritually dead.

“He [the true light] was in the world… yet the world did not know Him. He came to his own, and His own people did not receive Him” (John 1:10 and 11). Dead in transgressions and sin, no one realized that the Light had come, or even that they needed the Light. “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born… of God” (John 1:12 and 13). Not born by human means, but born of God. Taking those wobbly baby-steps of faith can be terrifying, however, when the Father is known, and the lights are on, every step becomes a little less horrible. 

Going back to John’s purpose in writing his book, one will remember that “these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,” and here is a life-saving truth, “that by believing you may have life in His name.” John’s whole purpose of writing his book is so that his reader will see the light and have “the Life” in Jesus. Later in his life, John wrote, “… God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (First John 5:11 and 12). Because Jesus brings life, no life can be experienced apart from Him, physically or spiritually. Without Life (Jesus), there is no light which means it’s dark, and one can’t see. This may seen elementary, however, it is a big part of why true life is needed. John, in John 1:1 through 4 and 1:9 through 14, gives the reader a glimpse of Jesus.

Both John 1:1 and 1:14 lead the reader to see the Hypostatic union. This is a theology concerned with Jesus’ two natures being brought together in one being. The full nature of God and the full nature of man exist in the person of Jesus.

In this passage, the reader can also learn about the Trinity. “…The Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).  In the Greek “the Word was with God and the Word was God” can literally be translated to be “and God was the Word.” Jesus is God. 

Matthew 3:3 speaks of a passage from the prophet Isaiah which reads, “… The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.” Here, Matthew is quoting Isaiah 40:3, “A voice cries: in the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Looking at the capitalization of the word “lord” in each passage, a reader will quickly notice that Matthew (clearly speaking about John, prophesying Jesus) uses “Lord.” However, Isaiah capitalizes all the letters, “LORD.” The use of the completely capitalized word means Yahweh, meaning God the covenant keeper. Thus, from using these two passages and the capitalization of there words, one can clearly determine that Jesus is also the covenant keeping Yahweh. 

While it is true that Jesus is God, there is also another part to the equation, God the Father. John 17 is about Jesus’ prayer to the Father. Verse 24 (of John 17) says, “Father…” one could really stop there and see that Jesus is praying to His Father. However, Jesus continues,  “I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that You have given me because You loved me, before the foundation of the world.” Jesus is a separate being from the Father, yet, still God. This brings forth another very strong theological truth. Even before the foundation of the world, the Triune God displayed love.

The third part of this Triune being is the Holy Spirit. John 14:16 reads, “and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper [the Holy Spirit], to be with you forever.” This verse shows that Jesus is separate from God the Father and the Holy Spirit (or the Helper). Three separate beings, yet one being. This is mind boggling and will never fully be understood by a finite being. 

There are so many truths about Jesus that can be unpacked from this passage. One of which has been mentioned already, Jesus’ preexistent nature. Many lengths have already been taken to prove this fact. 

John 1:9 through 11 talks about human depravity, and the need for “the light” which is life (John 1:4). Though humans are so desperate to find the “true light” (John 1:9) the world did not see it. Humanity was, and continues to be blinded to the true light of Jesus. “Yet the world did not know Him” (John 1:10). “His own people did not receive Him” (John 1:11).

“But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). In spite of the human depravity, hope does exist of those who believe in the name of Jesus because, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).

Many things surrounding the book of John have been debated, however all of his words are true and inspired by the Holy Spirit. His purpose in the book is clear, he wants his audience to come to find true life in Jesus. 

It is interesting that John opens up his Gospel sharing that “In Him [the Word, Jesus] was life” (John 1:4). Then all though out his book, He records so many miracles of people being brought to both spiritual and physical life, the disciples, the woman at the well (John 4), the officials family (John 4), the woman caught in adultery (John 8), and Lazarus (John 11). It is almost like everything in-between John 1:4 and John 20:30 and 31 is just reason to come to Jesus.  

John took many lengths and measures to spell out all the detail in his Gospel. He used specific wording to get across his perfect message. He takes a completely different approach to explaining the life and ministry of Jesus. Opening up his Gospel before time began, John starts explaining to his reader that Jesus is God. That Jesus came to earth to bring life to man. Jesus had to experience death to give people His life. How ironic that life came to earth to die. But in doing so, Life offered hope to millions.

“The Word became flesh…” (John 1:14). Jesus had to deal with the temptations, hardships, and heart break. He knew all that He was getting into. From before the world began, before the foundations of time, He was the plan. He was the tool God the Father used to bring His life down to a sin-stricken earth, corrupt with all kinds of evil. 

Jesus also knew that everyone He died for would not accept Him. Many of the Pharisees continually tore Him down, questioning His authority. How difficult must have it been for Jesus to resist from putting those difficult people in their place. Jesus was around before those people were even a twinkle in their parent’s eyes, before the world even existed. Through Jesus, everything was made.

Jesus is God. He did exist before anything. He chose to lower Himself to be a mortal and come and die a horrible death to offer life to a people who did not even receive Him. John experience Jesus’ life altering miracles, thus he wants to share with his audience. This can be a very eye opening realization. How quick are Christians to share their experiences of Jesus?

A practical take away from John 1:1 through 4 and 9 through 14 is to figure out a response to Jesus. Respond to who He is, and what He did for humanity. In every story shared in John’s Gospel, a response is required. After someone’s eyes are open to the truth, they must decide to accept the truth or turn away and reject it. 

Jairus' Daughter and a Woman's Faith

Matthew 9:18-26 | Mark 5:21-43 | Luke 8:40-56

The story of Jairus’ daughter and a Woman’s faith are recorded in the synoptic Gospels. In each account there are similarities and uniquenesses. The reasons for this are the different points of view and different audiences hearing the original stories. 

In Matthew, Mark and Luke, a synagogue leader (Matt. 9:18; Mark 5:22; Luke 8:41) comes to Jesus and worships Him (Matt. 9:18; Mark 5:22; Luke 8:41). Seeking help for his daughter, the man asks Jesus to come heal her (Matt. 5:22; Mark 5:23; Luke 8:41). Jesus goes with the man (Matt. 9:19; Mark 5:24; Luke 8:42). Then a bleeding woman came up behind him and touched his cloak (Matt. 9:20; Mark 5:27; Luke 8:44). Then Jesus addressed her saying “Daughter, your faith has healed you” (Matt. 9:22; Mark 5:34; Luke 8:48). Then, Jesus, continuing on His way to the man’s house said, “The girl is not dead, but asleep” (Matt. 9:24; Mark 5:39; Luke 8:52). This made the crowd laugh at Him (Matt. 9:24; Mark 5:40; Luke 8:53). He then took the dead girl by the hand (Matt. 9:25; Mark 5:41; Luke 8:54), and she stood up (Matt. 9:25; Mark 5:42; Luke 8:55). 

While there are indeed many similarities, there are also some scattered uniquenesses. In Matthew, for example, the synagogue leader’s name is unmentioned. In Mark, all the information in 5:26 is not included in either of the other accounts. Luke includes many little details that are not found in the other gospels. Such as, the crowd was welcoming of Jesus (8:40), no one could heal the woman (8:43), that the daughter would be healed (8:50), and that the child’s mother and father accompanied Jesus when He went to heal their daughter (8:51).

While all the books have similarities, Matthew is the most unique, having the shortest account. As previously mentioned, Matthew’s account does not include the name of the synagogue leader. This is consistent with his authorship, not including many seemingly unnecessary details. A major difference is the tense of the dying girl. While Mark and Luke record that the girl is dying (Mark 5:23; Luke 8:42), Matthew records that she is dead (Matthew 9:18). Because of this difference, Matthew’s account is shorter, not needing to elaborate on her death (Mark 5:35-40; Luke 8:49-52a). Staying consistent with his record, Matthew shares that Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house (Matthew 9:23). Jesus then proceeds to heal the young girl (Matthew 9:25). Many of these uniquenesses may be attributed to Matthew’s audience, the Jews. Regarding the bleeding woman, Jesus never asked who touched Him. In both Mark and Luke, Jesus is recorded asking who touched Him. In Matthew, Jesus simply turns around and addresses her. Finally, Matthew includes the exclusive statement that the “woman was healed at that moment” (Matthew 9:22). While reading each account, one must remember that each gospel was written to different audiences. 

In the beautiful passage of Mark 5:25-34, Jesus has a short dialogue with a bleeding woman. Verses 27-29 show the woman’s courage to seek Jesus out, her trust in His power, and her faith rewarded. This can be a wonderful example for a believer. Proactivity is an evidence of wanting change. Jesus’ tender response is compassionate. He lovingly looks on the woman, calls her daughter, and tells her to be free from suffering (Mark 5:34). After a radical change like this, one must evaluate how he or she will go forward. After the oppressed woman came in contact with Jesus and experienced His power, she was able to leave in peace (Mark 5:34).