QT 31 May 12, Success is measured spiritually, not numerically

John 3:22-30 (NIV) After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan — the one you testified about — well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."

27 To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.

NOTE: There really is no record of these early years other than these few phrases, like "where he spent some time with them." We don't know specifically what he said or taught, but we can be sure it had an effect, since God's word is living and active (Heb 4:12) and does not return empty (Isa 55:10-11). Quiet periods of learning are necessary before God can use people more publicly. We also see John the Baptist again portrayed with a rare humility. John is in the public spotlight, and he too probably spent years in the desert in quiet beforehand. But now, in his public ministry, we see a decidedly mature response to a dwindling following. He had his eyes on Jesus and on what was important, and not on himself and his image or standing. We could all stand to learn that lesson and stop measuring our success by the numbers in our church. The real question should be, "are they growing spiritually?"

QT 30 May 12, Jesus, from the beginning, knew he would upset the applecart

John 3:1-9 (NIV) Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."

3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

9 "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.

NOTE: I think that western Christianity misses truth by not seeing the Jewish aspects of this passage. The concept of being "born again" or "born from above" was not unusual in Jewish circles. What surprised Nicodemus is that he had already completed all the renewals that were possible for a man his age; he would have to start all over again. The "born of water" part probably was more related to the cleansing of water that is repeated in many rituals. A person needed to be cleansed both externally (water) and internally (the Spirit). The inner cleansing by the Spirit surprised Nicodemus, and is one of the mysteries of God revealed in the New Testament, that is, how the Holy Spirit enters one's life and our bodies become temples of God. Jesus' teaching that occurs very early in his ministry already has the concepts of a new birth, a cleansing, and an indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus knew that his ministry would change everything.

QT 26 May 12, Never use faith as a means to get rich

John 2:13-16 (NIV) When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"

NOTE: There are few examples in scripture of Jesus getting angry. This is one of them, another would be his reaction to the false teaching and hypocritical lifestyle of the Pharisees. In understanding why Jesus is angry, a couple of observations are in order. First, the market is set up in the outer court, which is designated as a place of worship for the Gentiles. So, it would be impossible for Gentiles to worship God due to the noise and activity in the courtyard. Most Gentiles would have been turned off by the sight and so would not have even investigated the claims of God. Secondly, the sellers were making a lot of money off the worshippers needlessly. They were changing coins at outrageous rates, and selling "approved" animals, which were often "unapproved" animals of a previous worshipper that were then blessed by a priest for resale. Jesus believed a worker was worth his wages, but did not believe it was right to use religious work to get rich at another's expense.

QT 25 May 12, God cares about all aspects of our life

John 2:1-11 (NIV) On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."

4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."

5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.

8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."

They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

NOTE: The miracle is amazing but the event is somewhat mundane. No one is dying, injured, or experiencing a life changing event. It is a wedding party, and while the event will be remembered by the family for years, the absence of wine would have only added an embarrassing footnote in life. Yet, Jesus in his compassion answers his mother's request for help. He does something impossible with any technology today. It is a creation event and reaffirms chapter one, "without him, nothing was made that was made." It is also very early in his three year ministry, well before the start of his public ministry. He is still getting to know the people who will later be his apostles. He is clearly teaching, because his disciples (the number is not specified but probably 4-6) "put their faith in him." The bridegroom is most likely Mary's nephew and Jesus' cousin. I'm not sure it is one of Jesus' brothers, since it says "Jesus … was invited." I don't think those words would have been chosen for a family member. The application to me is that God cares about all aspects of our life. We may not like the answer to our prayers, especially the "no's," but God does care. 

QT 15 May 11, The people failed to read the signs because they were looking for the wrong thing

John 1:21-31 (NIV) They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"

He said, "I am not."

"Are you the Prophet?"

He answered, "No."

22 Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'"

24 Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

26 "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

NOTE: The Pharisees and leaders were very specific in their questions. They were looking for the Messiah, but they were looking for the Messiah of the second coming without knowing it. They did not distinguish between two times. They did postulate two Messiahs, a ben Yosef and a ben David, but their questions refer to the Messiah who would set up his kingdom on earth. John correctly answers the questions. Jesus would later say that John came in the spirit and power of Elijah, and one must wonder if Elijah's coming is still to occur prior to the second coming. John then goes on to call Jesus, "the Lamb of God," who would take away the sin of the world. This statement clearly identifies Jesus with the Isaiah 53 suffering servant, also referred to as ben Yosef, and not the conquering king that the leaders were looking. The conquering king Messiah is still to come. It will be Jesus and he will set up his kingdom on earth at that time. It will all happen just as it is prophesied. Jesus' initial appearance was also prophesied and fulfilled with amazing perfection, so too will the second coming be fulfilled. Therefore, let us lives worthy of our coming Lord so that we can serve in his Kingdom in that coming day.

QT 14 May 12, God became man to show himself to all -- who are we showing God to?

John 1:11, 18 (NIV) He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

. . .

No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

NOTE: The phrase, "his own," refers to the people of God, the Jews. Jesus, born in a Jewish family with a line to David through both step-Father, mother, and God was rejected by his people, the people of Israel. But while the nation rejected him, many believed in him and so were born into the family of God. No one has ever seen God, but Jesus' incarnation as Son of God has made him known to all. I can see God through the pages of the New Testament. The creator of the universe humbled himself to be seen and known by all. He went first to the people he chose to make himself known in the world but who had failed in their mission. They also failed to recognize the times or the person of Christ. And therefore, God turned to a mixture of Jewish and Gentile believers, bonded together by the love of Christ, to carry the good news to the ends of the earth. I have benefitted from that message. I have been reborn because someone cared enough to tell me the story. Who am I telling the story to? Do I have the same passion to share the story as though whose witness saved me? 

QT 10 May 12, We chose the darkness in which humanity lives

John 1:4-13 (NIV) In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

NOTE: John next defines the Word as life, and also as the light of men. The light shines into the darkness, which is the sin-covered world that we created when we rebelled against the creator. But, in our sin, in our blindness and darkness, we can't recognize the light. God also sent someone ahead of the light to bear witness, but still few in the world recognized the light. But some did and those who did, those who believed in the true light were given the right to become children of God, a completely independent decision that each one must make. You see, we are not children of God even though we were created by him. We rebelled against him and chose to live life the way we wanted. We did not want his interference and involvement in our life. We did not want his rules, and he has given us what we wanted. But to those who see through the darkness of our poor choices he offers true light and adoption into God's family--then and only then can a person become a child of God. It is not a right of creation, but only a right to those who believe and receive. We made our choice a long time ago, when Adam, acting as a Federal head of our race, chose to disobey God. None of us has or will do any better. Our only hope is the offer that God gives us through his son Jesus Christ.

QT 9 May 12, Existence is impossible without creation

John 1:3 (NIV) Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

NOTE: A popular retort against evolution is the argument that something cannot come out of nothing. John, in a slight reversal of wording says that was made that has been made or in other words, every single thing was created. And to be more clear, the "him" referred to as the creator, is the Word, which is later explained (verse 1:14) to be Jesus. All things have been made through Jesus and there is nothing made (physically) in this world which was not made by Jesus (referring to things created in the past). It does not say that every thought or concept or idea was created by God, and so man or possibly Satan has the distinction of creating sin and rebellion. Because we are made in the image of God, we too are creators, in our own way. We can shape things that have been made into many different types of creations. We can write computer programs to create virtual realities. We are also creators. In fact life is full of creators and would not work very well without creators. Random chaos did not create the physical universe nor would it have created the societies we live in today. Creation, intelligent design, guides our lives pervasively.

QT 8 May 12, Jesus is the Word, Jesus is God

John 1:1-2, 14 (NIV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.

. . .

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

NOTE: Immediately, the author makes multiple points about something called the Word. The Word existed in the beginning, before all of creation, the Word existed. The Word was God, and yet, the Word was with God. The Word was both God and not God. Verse 14 tells us that the Word became flesh and lived (tabernacle'd) among us. Consequently, we (John and his contemporaries) saw his glory, which was the glory of God. So, John very clearly says that Jesus was God and yet was distinct from God, from God the father. We have John's first teaching of the trinity, although in this case, only two persons are described, the son and the father. In some unbelievable way, Jesus was God, and God actually dwelt on earth in a human form. No other religion makes this claim. And Jesus backed up the claim by the life that he lived among us, a life that only God himself could have lived.

QT 4 May 12, In OT times, God demanded responsible ownership of actions

Nu 35:16-25 (NIV)“ ‘If a man strikes someone with an iron object so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 17 Or if anyone has a stone in his hand that could kill, and he strikes someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 18 Or if anyone has a wooden object in his hand that could kill, and he hits someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 19 The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. 20 If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies 21 or if in hostility he hits him with his fist so that he dies, that person shall be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

22 “ ‘But if without hostility someone suddenly shoves another or throws something at him unintentionally 23 or, without seeing him, drops a stone on him that could kill him, and he dies, then since he was not his enemy and he did not intend to harm him, 24 the assembly must judge between him and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. 25 The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send him back to the city of refuge to which he fled. He must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

NOTE: If you have a weapon or you have intention, you are guilty of murder. If the act unintentional, then you are not guilty. In any case, you must make it to a city of refuge for a trial. And if you are found not guilty, you must stay in the city of refuge until the high priest dies. So, there is a cost even when you are not at fault. And that makes sense, since to some degree, carelessness cost someone their life. Nowadays, we would call that manslaughter. But manslaughter does not cost when it is purely accidental and no negligence is shown. In Jewish society, it would not matter -- accidents can be prevented by careful attention. I wonder if people were more careful with their actions when they realized the penalty for even mistakes. And maybe we would be better off if we owned our mistakes rather than blamed them on other things -- I suppose we used to call this, responsibility.

QT 1 May 12, Our attitude toward scripture affects our understanding of scripture

Num 35:1-5 (NIV) On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the Lord said to Moses, 2 "Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns. 3 Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for their cattle, flocks and all their other livestock.

4 "The pasturelands around the towns that you give the Levites will extend out fifteen hundred feet from the town wall. 5 Outside the town, measure three thousand feet on the east side, three thousand on the south side, three thousand on the west and three thousand on the north, with the town in the center. They will have this area as pastureland for the towns.

NOTE: If these verses were separated by a chapter or another book, they would be pounced on as some of error or contradiction. But because they are right next to each other, we recognize that we don't completely understand the meaning, and that there is obviously some other way to understand these verses. Of course, the most interesting point is that if we applied this same logic to the supposed contradictions / errors of the bible, we would find very few, if any apparent errors. In this case, one possibility is that the living area (suburbs, gardens, and vineyards) are within the first 1500 feet and the remaining 1500 feet are for pastureland for the animals. This view satisfies the text. But what do we learn then? We need to approach scripture (when we see apparent contradictions) with the view that it is true, and so therefore, what is it I don't understand, or how could it fit it together that satisfies the text in both places. I think that is a more natural way for the believer to study God's word.