John_13

Scripture:John 13:15-17, 34-35¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.  ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Observation:John 13 covers Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, then his prediction of betrayal (by Judas) and denial (by Peter).  But it also reveals his heart of love and servitude to his disciples.  As usual, I found a commentary that captures the lead up far better than I could.“Now before the feast of the Passover: This gives us a time reference. Jesus was about to share a meal with His disciples…Jesus knew that His hour had come: Jesus lived His life in anticipation of this hour…That He should depart this world to the Father: The cross is not specifically mentioned in John 13:1, but casts a shadow over almost every word. We see the shadow of the cross over His hour had come. We see the shadow of the cross over loved them to the end. But we also see the shadow of the cross over depart this world. It is phrased softly, but there is an iron-hard reality underneath the soft cover. Jesus would only depart this world through the cross…Having loved: Surely, Jesus had loved His disciples. He led them, taught them, cared for them, and protected them. What Jesus gave them was already more than any other teacher or leader would or could give his followers…Having loved His own: There is a love Jesus has for all people, and then there is a love for His own. It isn’t so much that Jesus’ love is different, but the dynamic of the love relationship is different. The love of Jesus for His own is greater because it has a response, and love answers to love…He loved them to the end: Jesus had loved His own. But He hadn’t finished loving them. He would love them to the end. The idea behind the phrase to the end is “to the fullest extent, to the uttermost.”…For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you: Jesus was far more than an example to the disciples and they needed more than an example. Yet Jesus certainly was an example to those disciples and all who would follow Him. They must take Him as an example for both attitude and action…A servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him: If Jesus – who is our master and who sends us – if this Jesus humbly served in this way, it is even more appropriate for His servants and sent ones to do so…If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them: The theory of being humble and being a servant isn’t worth very much. But the practice of being a servant pleases God, fulfills our calling, bringing blessing and happiness.https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/john-13/ Understanding:So, let’s drill it down…

• Jesus LOVED His disciples…even those he knew would ultimately betray and deny him.
• The example He gave was one we must follow in both attitude and action.
• “The theoryof being humble and being a servant isn’t worth very much. But the practice of being a servant pleases God, fulfills our calling, bringing blessing and happiness.”

Jesus loved and served. Jesus said the example he gave was one His disciples [and we] should follow.We are called to respond both in attitude (love towards others) and action (love and serve others). Life Application: It may seem oversimplified to sum things up week after week with the phrase “Go love on somebody,” yet it also seems quite biblical.Galatians 5:14For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Mark 12:28-31²⁸ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^[a] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^[b] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[c] There is no commandment greater than these.”So, as we go throughout our day, let’s LOVE – love God, love others, showing this love in ways big and small, through our actions and attitudes towards those we know and those we don’t.  Let’s go! <3Rei

John_12

Scripture:  John 12:3-5  Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.  But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” Observation-What does it say?  A feast is prepared for Jesus, as a way of celebrating the resurrection of Lazarus.  As Jesus’ time before his ultimate sacrifice is drawing close, he spends time with those who are close to him, as if he is saying goodbye.  It is in this time we see some contrasting behaviors towards Jesus, and some slight modifications of behavior.  Martha, who in Luke 10 was complaining about her sister’s behavior, is still serving, but has dropped the complaining.  There is also the contrasting behaviors of Mary and Judas.  “ Mary gave a token of love to Christ, who had given real tokens of his love to her and her family. God's Anointed should be our Anointed. Has God poured on him the oil of gladness above his fellows, let us pour on him the ointment of our best affections.” (Matthew Henry Commentary)  Judas was still looking after his own interests. Understanding-What does it mean?  There was a clothing company that put out a line of comedic t-shirts a few years ago that really struck a chord with me.  They had sayings like, “World’s Okayist Dad!” and “Medium speed, Some drag.”  While they were most definitely celebrating mediocrity, they may have been one of the more truthful line of shirts you would ever see anyone wear.  It was a breath of fresh air to see a shirt that wouldn’t make the wearer try to live up to an arbitrary and impossible to meet standard like “World’s greatest dad!”  For one thing, there isn’t enough data to prove that anyone wearing that shirt really is that great.  Unfortunately, sometimes this is also the attitude I want to carry into my worship of God.  I want to bring forth a mediocre effort and have it be good enough for God.  But God doesn’t just want part of us.  He wants all of us.  We learn this very early on, with the story of Cain and Abel.  Cain offered a mediocre sacrifice and God told him it wasn’t good enough.  Cain, like Judas, was trying to hold the best back for himself.  But, God wasn’t having it with either.   Mary, though, poured out her all on Jesus.  In return, God lavished His love on her.  God also tells us that we can give him our everything because He will make our burden light.  Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Even in times where the world seems to make it impossible to give everything to Him, God makes a way.
Life Application:  Jesus, help me to let go of the sin I am holding onto (Hebrews 12:1-3), help me to leave my anxiety at your feet (Philippians 4:6), help me to fix me eyes on you.  I want your best for me, and I know I can’t hold anything back, or give you my “Okayist” gift.  

 

-Tyler Galloway      

Lamentations_3

Scripture - What stood out?Lamentations 321 Yet this I call to mind    and therefore I have hope:22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,    for his compassions never fail.23 They are new every morning;    great is your faithfulness.24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;

   therefore I will wait for him.” Observation - What does it say?This chapter begins with a reminder that sometimes affliction is not from the enemy, sometimes it is from God. Lamentations 3:1 states “I am the man who has seen affliction, by the rod of the Lord’s wrath.” Understanding - What does it mean?I think upon this particular dichotomy a lot, potentially a tri-chotomy. If something negative or pain inducing happens, is it from the enemy, God, or...neither? Only three options but when I am not hearing clearly from the Lord picking apart which is which can make my head spin! I have had the opportunity to live a life which has been given room for introspection. That in itself is such a gift considering all the lives out there that struggle for food and shelter on an hourly basis.  Reading this chapter and this verse makes one point stand out for me. If the affliction is of the enemy...I serve a God that has conquered the enemy. If I truly accept that, then that pain is suddenly not as scary to deal with. My God conquered the source of that issue! If the affliction is from God however...the source of that pain is from the One whom I serve… I remember growing up I had a healthy fear of my father. And I LOVED my mom...Until it was time to get punished! For such a slender woman she generated great power when wielding a stick. Over time, the sting of the discipline would fade, my parents would shower me with love, and I couldn’t help but reciprocate.  Life Application - How can I apply this to my life today? I often feel like God is angry with me. And I feel like much of my adult life has been a series of discipling seasons filled with pain. But this is the hope I cling to, because of the Lord’s great love I am not consumed. Growing up I didn’t know who I was more afraid of, getting mugged and beaten by strangers or my parents. At the end of every disciplinary moment I received from my parents I learned something. They were always trying to teach me something.  In a society where pain is the antithesis of civilized living, it is not condoned in any way shape or form. I don’t want to give in to that way of thought Lord. If you are trying to teach me something through affliction I want to learn. Thank you for modeling that through my parents. Thank you Lord for being consumed by your love for me. -Ken Lee