Day 154: Acts 1:1-26

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” - Acts 1:8 ESV

Jesus dies, resurrects, and spends extended time with his disciples over the course of forty days, and yet the disciples continue to hold out hope for Him to restore political independence away from Rome. In their minds, the term Messiah and abandonment couldn't coincide.

For their benefit, Jesus condenses all that He had told them in John 14-16 down to one statement: they were to receive power from the Holy Spirit, and we will see how this empowerment materializes in our reading tomorrow.

The Holy Spirit doesn't come into us as Christians to just make us good people; He also comes to make us powerful. We aren't given a spirit of passivity when we place our faith in Jesus. Quite the opposite (see 1 Timothy 1:7).

The word for "witnesses" here is the Greek word martys, which is also translated, of course, as "martyr." These men (and women) Jesus was sending out weren't promised power that would exempt them from suffering. Instead, they were promised power that would enable them to be willing to die as they shared the Good News of Jesus to the entire Roman Empire.

This is the same power that is at work in us today.

"Holy Spirit, enable us to do what we cannot. Drive us from passivity and into a powerful life of dependence on you. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen."

'The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.' - Romans 8:11 NIV

Day 153: John 21:1-25

'Now there were many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.' - John 21:25 ESV

We've come to the end of our reading of the four biographies of Jesus' life and ministry. Many throughout history, and even today, struggle with what isn't included in these four accounts. It has been said that if you stretched out the scroll of John's gospel it would stretch ninety feet, and yet many of us wish there were at least ninety-two.

John's final statement doesn't help us if we're feeling this way. So many interactions and healings and teachings that we know nothing about.

It is clear what we want. We want to know more about Jesus.

Yet John, in his own way, is telling us that we have everything we need in what has been written.

What do we need to know to experience eternal life?

Jesus is the Son of God (John 1:1-5).

Jesus desires us to be born again (John 3:3-5).

Jesus was on a love-driven rescue mission (John 3:16-17).

Jesus was crucified for our sins (John 19:30).

Jesus was raised (John 20:1-10).

Our job? To worship this Jesus daily. To share His Good News with everyone we encounter.

We have all we need.

Day 152: John 20:1-31

'Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.' - John 20:8-9 ESV

First of all, how funny is it that John (who is now elderly as he writes) felt the need to slip in the detail about him smoking Peter in a foot race to the empty tomb? As men grow older, their need heightens to let others know of their athletic feats.

Have you ever thought about how the early disciples of Jesus were able to help prove Jesus' resurrection via the Hebrew Bible? For the first 20 or so years of the church, the New Testament as we know it didn't exist (James and Galatians were probably written around 50 AD). Of course, having eyewitness testimony didn't hurt their ability to convince people concerning the empty tomb!

In Acts 13:32-38, the Apostle Paul gives us a glimpse of the passages he used (Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 55:3, Psalm 16:10).

Jesus' resurrection is proof that the "everlasting covenant" (Isaiah 55:3) that was first introduced to the Jews is alive and well today.

This is yet another example of the commitment and investment God has made into His church today. Jesus lives now to pray for us, to see us through to the end of our lives or his Second Coming (whichever comes first); see Hebrews 7:25.

Day 151: John 19:23-42

'When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.' - John 19:30 ESV

Even as Jesus is in His final moments, He's still fulfilling Messianic prophecy from the Hebrew Bible. In our short reading for today, John mentions four of these prophecies:

Psalm 22:18 - "They divided my garments."

Psalm 69:21 - "I thirst."

Psalm 34:20 - "He protects all his bones, none broken."

Zechariah 12:10 - "They will look on the one they have pierced."

John's primary objective in writing this fourth biography is to show us (without a doubt) that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. Even as Jesus is drawing His final breaths, we see that He is in more control of these moments than His opponents can even begin to know.

These events were so impressive that they caused two Pharisees to go from private to public with their faith in Jesus (Joseph and Nicodemus).

How about you? Are you ready to submerge yourself in the events of the cross, to trust this crucified Jesus for salvation?

One of Jesus' original disciples, Peter, said it so well:

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God." - 1 Peter 3:18

Check out this page if you’re ready to take your next faith step toward Jesus today.

Day 150: John 18:25-40, 19:1-22

'Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world— to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.' - John 18:37-38 ESV

Everything that Jesus did bore witness to the truth. Nothing He did was unintentional. Pilate was having trouble wrapping his mind around the concept of truth, and many of those in our culture today are having the same struggles. We want to make allowances for people to float through life however they would desire, even if it may lead to destruction. Yet, the problem with everyone creating their own truth is that it causes mass confusion.

Nobody really knows who they are anymore, at least for more than 3 days at a time.

For me, this is my great fear. What if I live a majority of my life and end up wasting it with an everything-is-relative mentality?

Jesus knew who He was, and He also wants us to be sure of who we are.

The word used for "truth" is the Greek word ἀλήθεια alētheia, and Louw/Nida translate it as "the content of that which is true and thus in accordance with what actually happened."

Who gets to decide what reality looks like? Us? Finite, created beings? Or perhaps we should let our Creator take the lead on this one. He has given us no reason for us to think otherwise.

Day 149: John 18:1-24

'When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.' - John 18:6 ESV

Jesus finished his high priestly prayer (chapter 17) and then transitioned to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he also prayed with agony in light of the cross that awaited Him (see Luke 22:39-46). At this point, the betrayer (Judas) has come to do his worst with a mob of Roman soldiers and the Jewish hierarchy. This group wasn't going to "apprehend" Jesus by force; this was going to be an act of surrender on His part.

Many people believe that Jesus is found here declaring and proving His status as God's Son. "I AM" was the name that God gave Moses as he went before the Israelites initially to begin their exit out of Egypt (see Exodus 3:14).

As Jesus declares, "I am he," the mob falls back to the ground. This was a common response in the Old Testament to a theophany (see Ezekiel 1:28 and Daniel 10:9).

Jesus cannot help but show His power and authority as His identity comes into full view. We would do well to fall on our faces today in worship before the One who will put all of His opponents on their backs.

Day 148: John 17:1-26

“I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” - John‬ ‭17:23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Jesus’ high priestly prayer here in John 17 should make us emotional. He prays for His disciples, He prays for us, and He prays for the entire world.

The thing that broke my heart as I read this chapter is the insistence Jesus had on us remaining ONE. You don’t have to talk to Christians for five minutes to see that we haven’t done an excellent job of staying together.

Why do you think Jesus saw this as being so important?

He knew that this would be one of the main ways our enemy, the devil, would work to disrupt our mission of spreading the good news about Jesus.

How can we do a better job at being unified as a church?

Listen more.

Talk less.

Cry with people and work to understand their perspective instead of choosing to slander.

Our knee-jerk reaction will always bend towards pride and a desire to be right. May God helps us to shift toward being teachable and humble in all our interactions with fellow Jesus followers.

There is always more going on than we can see and hear in people’s lives. We just have to stop for a bit to pay attention.

Day 147: John 16:1-33

'I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”' - John 16:33 ESV

In this farewell discourse (John 14-17), Jesus' goal was to prepare His disciples for what was coming. Any time we step into a new season, it can be easy to start panicking about all the unknowns. In their case, they were understandably disturbed at His insistence on the fact that He was going away, yet coming back, then going away (again).

Jesus wanted his disciples to have peace (eirene), literally: "perfect calm." Yet He says they should have an expectation of tribulation (other translations read "trouble"). How can these two things co-exist? It is obvious that Jesus is saying that this is the reality for anyone who wishes to follow Him.

It isn't going to be easy. Actually, many will die for their faith in Jesus.

Yet, at the same time, this is going to give you a deep-down peace that no one can come close to replicating or administering. Only God can consistently calm our souls.

Expect trouble.

Expect peace.

Walk with Jesus, lead by the ever-present help of the Holy Spirit.

Live the good life.

Day 146: John 15:1-27

"Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." - John 15:2 ESV

When we first read this verse, we may be a little disappointed. Why would a fruitful branch (us) of the vine (Jesus) be pruned by the gardener? The following quote from Bryan/Krause's commentary hits deep:

"If left untrimmed, a grapevine will use its available energy to grow long woody branches and extend its territory, while producing a few meager bunches of grapes."

God isn't interested in us spanning into a less fruitful season after He's done so much in and through us. Instead, He is looking to trim us back so that we can produce even more fruit as we remain in Him. Jesus is the only one who truly knows what we are capable of.

The word "remain" is used 7 times in the first 8 verses of our reading for today. It is the Greek word menō, and it can also be translated as "stay" or "abide." I love the imagery of staying. There is no other place we can go where we can become who we are truly meant to be. Remaining with Jesus means that we can maximize our influence in this world.

Don't be alarmed by the trimming. God knows what He is doing. The proof will be in the fruit that follows.

Day 145: John 14:15-31

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever." - John 14:15-16 ESV

These two verses are some of the most powerfully practical that you'll find in all of John's Jesus biography. Three things immediately jump out as we look a little deeper:

#1 - Relationship needs to precede right living. Before we step into a life of obedience to Jesus, we need to establish a healthy relationship with Him. We love and trust Jesus first and foremost. We can depend on Him!

#2 - Obedience isn't optional; it is to be expected. As we love and interact with Jesus, our lives will be transformed. This is manifested in the way that we serve our families and those around us. It is even shown in the way we love our enemies.

# 3 - Does this seem daunting? Feel inadequate to accomplish what God is asking you to do? Never fear. The Holy Spirit is our Helper (parakletos - advocate). Where we are insufficient, He is more than enough to make us adequate.

Don't you love how intentional Jesus was with preparing His disciples for what was to come? He is doing the same for us today. May we move forward with the God of all creation on our side.