Today’s reading: John 7:31-53

On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!” - John‬ ‭7:37‬

This is the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, where the Jews remembered their 40 years in wilderness. Each day during this festival, a priest took a golden pitcher and filled it with water from the Pool of Siloam. As he carried the water through the Water Gate, the people would recite Isaiah 12:3, “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” The priest would then pour it on the altar as a sacrifice. (William Barclay, The Gospel of John, Vol 1, page 290)

Jesus is making a statement (also referencing Isaiah 55:1).

He was the rock they drank from in the wilderness (1 Corinthians 10:4). He was paving the way for us to drink deep from the Holy Spirit (John 7:39).

May we drink deep today.

May we walk by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).

This is the water that quenches the deep thirst of our souls.

Today’s reading: John 7:1-30

“How does he know so much when he hasn’t studied everything we’ve studied?” - John 7:15

These experts in the Hebrew scriptures were unrivaled in their day. They not only had the Old Testament memorized, but had studied Talmudic writings beyond that (ancient Jewish commentaries). They knew every detail and nuance.

They couldn’t cope with him when he was 12 (see Luke 2:41-52), and they can’t cope with him now. The following quote really fleshes out this idea!

“Saying Jesus is Lord can mean little in practice for anyone who has to hesitate in saying Jesus is smart. He is not just nice, he is brilliant. He is the smartest man who has ever lived. He is now supervising the entire course of human history (Rev. 1:5) while simultaneously preparing the rest of the universe for our future role in it (John 14:2). He always has the best information on everything and certainly on the things that matter most in the human life.” - Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy, pg 94-95

Bottom line: Jesus can (and should be) trusted. 👏

Today’s reading: John 6:43-71

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” - John‬ ‭6:66-69‬

So, Jesus announces there will be no free bread at this moment (6:48) and that He will be leaving (6:62). Not only that, but they would need to eat His flesh and drink His blood to have eternal life (6:54).

And the crowd thins out...

Now, we have a much better perspective on this teaching from Jesus than the original hearers did. We can see the cross, the empty tomb, and the ascension. We see that we are to take it all in: His teaching, His example, His salvation.

Yet there are still many things in the Bible we may not understand. Can we still follow Jesus if we don’t get it all?

We don’t have to understand everything Jesus says, but we do have to trust Him, walk with Him, and submit to His leadership, knowing that we are in good hands.

Today’s reading: John 6:22-42

Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that I, the Son of Man, can give you. - John 6:27

I mean, who doesn’t like free food? One, it doesn’t cost, and two, it meets an immediate need. The only problem is that in 5 or so hours our bodies will have used up all the energy that the food supplied.

These people had seen Jesus feed perhaps 15,000 people on the other side and they were ready for round 2.

Jesus was working to move their hearts from fixating on immediacy and move on to permanency. This is the same kind of message He gave the woman at the well in John 4. Eternity should always be at the forefront of our minds as we try to decide how to expend our energy.

So, how can we get anything done? Should we just sit around, inactive, so we can focus solely on our belief in Jesus? If we end up there, we have missed all of what Jesus was trying to teach.

He is showing us a NEW way to live, a NEW way to hope. One that doesn’t end with death, but will step into eternal life.

Today’s reading: John 6:1-21

They were terrified, but He called out to them, “I am here! Don’t be afraid.” - John 6:19-20

This sequence is one of the most impressive during Jesus’ 3-year public ministry. He feeds five thousand men, plus women and children. Then he prays for most of the night, followed by a 3 to 4 mile walk on top of the water (during a storm).

As the disciples see Him approaching the boat (Mark records that He intended to pass them by, see Mk 6:48), they are φοβέω phobeō (afraid; fearful; frightened).

Have you been fearful lately?

Maybe we all need to hear Jesus’ words spoken to us as well:

I

Am

Here.

Do

Not

Be

Afraid.

“...when he begins to speak, we then obtain from his voice clear and solid knowledge, and then also joy and delightful peace dawn upon our minds. For there is great weight in these words.” - John Calvin

Relax your mind and body. Jesus is here with us, and He alone can calm the storm and bring us safely to shore. There is no circumstance that intimidates Him or that has Him rattled.

Today’s reading: John 5:24-47

“...all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.” - John‬ ‭5:28-29‬

What we do with Jesus IN this life will have everything to do with what Jesus does with us AFTER this life.

Just entertaining the thought of what things will be like after this life can be overwhelming and frightening. We will be stepping into what we do not know. Yet this section of Jesus’ teaching shows us we have the opportunity to not fear because of who will be stepping through with us.

May the thought of eternal judgment only unsettle us for others. May it motivate us to see that as many as possible will be raised to life now AND later.

Two scriptures that parallel this teaching of Jesus are:

Romans 6:1-11 + 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Jesus, thank you for raising us now and promising to raise us later. Come quickly! (Revelation 22:20-21)

Today’s reading: John 5:1-23

But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” - John‬ ‭5:14‬

At first, this almost seems like Jesus is being insensitive. I mean, this guy has been suffering from paralysis for 38 years!

You almost assume Jesus would say, “Man, I am so excited for you! You should register for that 5K next weekend. Enjoy!”

Yet Jesus goes straight after the most important thing. He encourages the man to repent (literally, to return), to stop sinning. He warns the man of a future judgment.

He essentially says, “Hell is permanent. Paralysis is not. Hell is far worse, because it won’t stop.”

If God allows us to live another day, it is an opportunity to draw close to Him. Being physically restored here is not the end game for Christians, even if God does the miraculous in your life (sparing you).

Jesus always spares us to spur us toward a better life (see Hebrews 10:28). A life with Him. A life that looks beyond our present reality.

Today’s reading: John 4:43-54

When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die. - John 4:47‬

This government official (probably of Herod) was desperate for Jesus to heal his son. When the text says he went over to Cana from Capernaum, this was a 17 mile journey.

When he gets an audience with Jesus, he asks Jesus to make the 17 mile journey back to heal his son. Jesus matches his intensity with a rebuke on needing to see a sign before belief. The official is undeterred by Jesus’ statement and asks again.

Jesus gave him an opportunity to believe. Would he obey Jesus or continue to insist on having it done his way? He decided to obey Jesus and his son was healed at 1pm, the exact time He decided to submit to Jesus’ authority.

Jesus, may we always be quick to obey You as our Lord. You can do all things. We can take our opportunity confess now or later...

“...every tongue will confess Jesus Christ is Lord.” - Philippians 2:11

Today’s reading: John 4:4-42

Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world. - Jn 4:42‬

Jesus takes time with this Samaritan woman at a well. He unpacks what Worship is going to look like in the Kingdom He is inaugurating. There would be no wrong place to worship, though there would be a wrong way (must be done in truth).

Jesus changes her life by meeting her where she was at in her sin and in her questioning.

Meanwhile, the disciples get a lesson on the harvest, and then they get a flesh and blood example. The woman at the well becomes a Samaritan evangelist, leading many to Jesus in order to hear and believe for themselves.

Jesus is calling us all to do evangelism the same way. He has prepared the way. Now all that’s left is to tell others what He has done for us, forgiving us and answering our own questions.

This is the only place John will use the word “Savior” (sōtēr) in his book. This isn’t just for Jews!

Today’s reading: John 3:22-36, 4:1-3

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.
‭‭John‬ ‭3:30‬

Competition doesn’t seem to be something we need to be taught. We lean toward feeling threatened when someone gets credit that we thought we were due. In this passage, we see John being superseded by Jesus. Yet John appears to be glad to fulfill the role that God has called him toward. As he is declaring the greatness of Jesus over himself, he lays out some amazing teaching.

We will only reach our full effectiveness in the kingdom of God as we do the same as John. We have to realize our role as Jesus glorifiers. We are not here to build a name or kingdom for ourselves. We are, instead, here to ensure that the generations to come know just how amazing our Savior really is.

The words “increase” (αὐξάνω, auxanō) and “decrease” (ἐλαττόω, elattoō) are words used in an astrological sense of a sinking old star and the rising of a new star. (Krause/Bryant)

May we angle to reveal Jesus’ fame at all times.