John 12: 12-36

When the Apostle Paul visited Athens he found statues for dozens of gods. He even found one dedicated to the unknown god. The Greeks were known for their desire of knowledge and their love of debate. The local philosophy club welcomed Paul to tell them about his god. Paul proclaimed the Good News of the Gospel. They found it to be a nice story and invited Paul to visit with them again if he was in Athens. These people liked all manner of ideas and were partial to none in particular. (Acts 17)

The Greeks in Jerusalem for the Passover were curious onlookers. They had heard about the wondrous deeds of Jesus and wanted to meet him in person. Perhaps if they had come at another time Jesus may have taken the time to chat with them. However, for several chapters John has been noting that Jesus’ time had not yet come. Then His time came. The festival of Passover was Jesus’ time. Jesus was fully focused on fulfilling the final steps in his Messianic mission. He had no time for casual debates on the philosophies of the day. It was the time for commitment.

The other Gospels wait until Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane to tell us that Jesus was deeply troubled. John brings out Jesus’ troubled spirit here to underscore the seriousness of the time. A kernel of wheat is a nice metaphor but does not fully convey the truth that it will be Jesus’ body going in the ground. Jesus’ reference to being lifted up is not the stuff of simple praise chorus like “Lord, I lift your name on high;” Jesus was nailed to the cross before he was lifted high.

Jesus invites us to follow him on the final steps to his cross. Those that come seeking the Kingdom of God will find that Jesus is still lighting the way for His disciples.

What word or phrase in these verses

attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

Reading for 27-Mar-12      John 12:37-50

John 11: 45 - 12:11

Jesus had previously expressed concern that the growing tension between Israel and the Roman oppressors would led to a violent outcome. He called the people to the ways of peace instead of insurrection. In today’s passage we see that the religious leaders were also quite concerned about the political situation. They feared that through his miracles Jesus was raising up a multitude to follow him and that the Romans would see this is a threat and respond with great force. John interprets the High Priest’s political statement with a theological insight that affirmed Jesus’ death would be the means to unite the children of God in all nations.

The tension in Jerusalem at the high council was also felt in the community of Bethany were Jesus gathered with his friends and disciples. There is an interesting parallel between this gathering and an occasion when Jesus was in Lazarus’ home as recorded in Luke’s Gospel. In Luke, Mary sits at Jesus’ feet listening to him teach and her sister Martha objects because she thinks Mary should be helping her prepare to serve a meal for Jesus. In John, Mary is again at Jesus’ feet, this time serving him as she anoints him for burial. I suspect the house was filled not only with the scent of perfume but also with tension as the others witnessed Mary’s shameless, extravagant adoration and worship of Jesus. Judas is the one who breaks the silence with the practical observation that the perfume was needlessly being wasted.

There was quite a divergent gathering that day in Bethany. Lazarus, the man Jesus brought from death to life was there. Martha was there, working, striving, and doing what needed to be done. Judas, the pragmatic one, who knew the cost of everything, was there. The other disciples were there, in silence. Mary was there, oblivious of everyone else, giving her heart to Jesus.

If you were there, where were you standing? Maybe you were singing with Mary.

Lord, I Give You My Heart

(Hillsong United)

This is my desire, to honor You

Lord with all my heart I worship You

all I have within me

I give You praise

all that I adore is in You

Lord I give You my heart

I give You my soul

I live for You alone

Every breath that I take

Every moment I'm awake

Lord have Your way in me

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What word or phrase in these verses

attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

Reading for 26-Mar-12      John 12:12-36

John 11: 17-44

We can know about someone, or we can know of them. We can also know them; know them personally. I love the music of Robin Mark of Belfast, Northern Ireland. I listened to and enjoyed his music. But, after spending a week with him in a setting where he led worship services for our group twice per day, I got to know him. After hosting him to lead worship at my church and corresponding with him, my personal knowledge of him grew and my appreciation for his music and ministry deepened.

Martha had been in various settings with Jesus on numerous occasions and she had come to have great respect and appreciation for his ministry. Yet, she still did not know him. Her (and her sister’s) ‘If only’ statements to Jesus reveal an underlying trust in his supernatural powers, but does not reveal an intimate knowledge of the person of Jesus. In raising Lazarus from the dead Jesus was able to help Martha, and Mary, understand that the resurrection was not some future event that will happen some day; the resurrection is a person. Jesus, as God’s Messiah, has brought the future hope of God’s restored Kingdom to become a present reality.

In the midst of this hugely difficult theological and doctrinal point to grasp, Jesus reveals the very heart of God. Jesus wept. Jesus fulfilled the words of the prophet Isaiah, “Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.” (Isaiah 53:4)

The Palmist tells us that God cares deeply for us: “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” (Psalm 56:8)

God keeps our tears in a bottle and Jesus weeps with us.

What wondrous love is this,
O my soul, O my soul,
what wondrous love is this,
O my soul!

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What word or phrase in these verses

attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

Reading for 25-Mar-12      John 11:45-12:11

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John 11: 1-16

God’s ways vs. our ways; God’s timing vs. our timing. These are two of the most difficult aspects of the Christian life to reconcile. While we may not be so crass to say it out loud, too often our internal thoughts reveal our frustration because God does not do what we want done, when we want it done. I dare say that at least 90% of our frustration with our prayer life revolves around our efforts to get God to do what we want. As John sets the stage for the greatest miracle of Jesus, the raising of Lazarus from the dead, Jesus is modeling for us how we can respond in faith to the uncertainties and demands of life.

The request for Jesus to go to Bethany created a conflict for Jesus. Bethany is on the Mount of Olives, just a few miles from Jerusalem. When Jesus left Jerusalem the religious leaders were seeking to arrest him and to stone him to death. For Jesus to return to the area of Jerusalem would have put him in harm’s way. While Jesus’ disciples feared for his safety, Jesus was calculating the time. Was it God’s time for him to return? Jesus resolved the conflict through prayer.

Jesus knew that no matter what happened to Lazarus God would be glorified. Therefore he did not let the circumstance determine his response. Jesus waited until the Spirit prompted him to return to Bethany.

Jesus did not react; he responded. That is what God wants us to do. God wants us to first think, then pray, and then obey the leading of the Spirit.

Jesus responded to every circumstance in his life out of his understanding of God’s will for his life. This is a good time for me to reflect on my life and to consider how often I react to people and happenings instead of responding out of God’s will for me.

What word or phrase in these verses

attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

Reading for 24-Mar-12      John 11:17-44

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John 10: 19-42

Jesus continues to confront the people with the truth that he and the Father are one and that he has been sent by the Father to be the true Messiah King of Israel. Jesus tells the people if they will not believe him because of his teachings then believe because of the miraculous signs of his authority.

In Jerusalem for Hanukkah Jesus words reach new heights of controversy. Approximately 200 years before Jesus’ ministry Israel had been overrun by an invading army. The army occupied Israel, desecrated the Temple and put the people under oppression. A man named Judas Maccabaeus led a revolt against the foreign army and defeated them. The people made Maccabaeus their king and his family ruled Israel until the Roman invasion 100 years later.

Maccabaeus led the people to purify the Temple and to hold a festival every year to commemorate the rededication of the Temple. This festival, Hanukkah, which means dedication, is held at a time on the Jewish calendar that is close to our December 25 date. Against this backdrop, where the people are remembering their last true and brave King that fought the invaders, Jesus is claiming to be the Messiah King. But he is not leading a revolt against the Romans. The people don’t want a shepherd; they want someone to fight for them.

Jesus was fighting for them, and us. He was fighting the forces of evil; he was fighting sin and death. In the midst of Jesus’ proclamation about being the Good Shepherd Jesus gives his followers their greatest assurance. His followers will live eternally with him. His followers can rest in the absolute assurance that they are safe and secure in the grasp of Jesus. Jesus says that in our choosing to follow Jesus, the Father gives us to Jesus. And, because the Father and Jesus are one, we now find ourselves safely in the Father’s hand.

I believe it was this assurance from Jesus that inspired the Apostle Paul to close the beautiful chapter eight of Romans with these words: “If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? No, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

What word or phrase in these verses

attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

Reading for 23-Mar-12      John 11:1-16