John_2

Scripture

 

“But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.”
‭‭John‬ ‭2:21-22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation-What does it say?

 

Jesus was answering the Jews who asked him by what authority he was speaking (right after He cleared the Temple Courts). Jesus spoke about destroying the Temple and He would rebuild it in 3 days. The Jews thought he was speaking about the physical temple, but Jesus was speaking about His physical body. In verse 22, it states that the disciples recalled what Jesus had said when He was raised from the dead. It made them believe the Scripture and the words they had spoken.

Understanding-What does it mean?

 

The revelations of Jesus are not always gifted to the human mind and heart right away.

It took Jesus dying and being raised from the dead for His disciples to recall what He said and believe the words He spoke. That revelation wasn't given to them when Jesus first said it.  They recalled it later.

Life Application

 

Persevere in reading His Word and seeking His face. Although a revelation may not come to you right away, it eventually will as long as you don’t give up.

The Lord reveals Himself to us everyday. Have you ever read a Scripture passage that you read several years ago, but you read it again today and something new pops out? Or have you ever read something that wasn't applicable for that time, but then it pops up in your mind months, years or even decades later when you do need it? That’s how the Word of God is. That’s why His Word is timeless and we must not give up in meeting with Him through prayer and His Word and also meeting together at church every Sunday.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah‬ ‭29:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy‬ ‭4:29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

““And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.” 1 Chronicles‬ ‭28:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

““ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ ”” Matthew‬ ‭15:8-9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Dear Lord, I pray that DSC would be a church that not only honors you with our words, but also our hearts as we spend time in prayer, the Word and worship. May we be so enamored by Your love for us, that our faith in You would be relationally based, not rule based. Thank You for loving us first Jesus and enabling us to draw near to You. Amen.

-Michelle Gaddi

John_1

What a great chapter this is, filled with such quotable verses.  The Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us.  The promise that whoever receives  Christ has been given the right to be called children of God. And so much more.  One of the things that challenges me from this chapter is the response of three people who encounter God.

 

John encounters God and declares to everyone who He is.  John had a good thing going but his entire ministry was to introduce Jesus.  He did just that - twice in this chapter we see John pointing away from himself and pointing people to Jesus and introducing them to Him.

 

Then Andrew hears what John declares about Jesus so he goes to investigate.  Look at what Andrew did immediately after hearing and investigating - he goes and tells someone else about Jesus.  He doesn't wait till he has been trained by Jesus.  He doesn't fully understand all the theological implications of it all.  He goes and tells about Jesus within his relational networks.  Andrew tells Peter and Peter comes to investigate.

 

Next Jesus meets Philip and calls Philip to follow him.  Philip comes along with Jesus but he does exactly what Andrew did, he not only follows Jesus but he goes and finds Nathanael and invites him to come and meet Jesus.  All these guys did was invite them to come and meet Jesus, once they met Jesus, He did the rest and the men made a decision to follow.

 

I am challenged to go into my circle of friends and invite them to encounter Jesus.  The way I do that is to tell them the stories of what Jesus has done in my life.  I invite them to attend church with me as well.  These men were not highly learned, well trained and well versed men, but they were doing something that all of us can do - introducing their friends to Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 3

Scripture

 

 2 Thessalonians 3:11-13

 

We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.

 

Observation-What does it say?

 

Paul was addressing an issue among some in the church in Thessalonica - idleness. In the Matthew Henry Bible Commentary, Henry says, "It is probable that these persons had a notion (by misunderstanding some passages in the former epistle) concerning the near approach of the coming of Christ, which served them for a pretence to leave off the work of their callings, and live in idleness." In other words, Jesus is coming back soon, so we can just coast until then.

 

Understanding-What does it mean?

 

Jesus has saved us! But that is not the end of the story. He gave us a calling - to go out and make Him known. He doesn't want us to rest until the whole world knows about His love for them. Matthew 9:35-38: Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Are we being spiritually idle, concerned only for our own salvation? Or will we accept our calling and get to work?

 

Life Application

 

Lord, change my self-centered heart and fill me with Your compassion for those that are harassed and helpless, sick and in need of You. Open my eyes to opportunities to share Your goodness with those I come in contact with. No more excuses - I'm too shy, that's not my gifting, others will do it - and help me, and all of us, to walk in our calling to know You and make You known.

 

-Debbie Dunn