John 6- 9.2.2021
Scripture - What stood out?
John 6
49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
Observation - What does it say?
Jesus was continuing to operate in signs and wonders in this chapter of the book of John. Large crowds had begun following him and the Passover was upon them. Jesus had just fed a large crowd. The bible states approximately five thousand men were counted (this count does not include the more than likely women and children that had come out to be near Jesus as well) among the large group that Jesus would miraculously feed with five loaves of barley bread and two fish. As the apostle Phillip describes in verse seven, ‘Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.’ (One denarius may have been the going rate for one day’s worth of work back then.)
Understanding - What does it mean?
I wonder if there was anyone in the crowd, possibly a pharisee, who heard Jesus and responded in their hearts, ‘What did you say about my manna?’ Moses was held in high regard and specifically anything associated with the first five books of the bible. So I can almost imagine the consternation on some of the teachers’ and leaders’ of that day when out of Jesus’s mouth came those words.
Jesus had already begun establishing himself as a prophet of God not unlike Moses. He had just fed A LOT of people with five loaves and two fish on top of his other signs and wonders. But here he was talking about bread that fell for forty years from God himself, intimating that it could not compare to this new bread, of which Jesus claimed HE was the bread!
And in the midst of all this they were celebrating Passover. The Israelites were remembering God delivering them from slavery. It was unleavened bread which was more than likely what was eaten. And the lack of yeast represented a rush. An expectant rush. The Israelites were expecting God to come quickly that night. There wasn’t enough time for your typical preparation to migrate. There was a sense of urgency because God was coming to save them!
Life Application - How can I apply this to my life today?
John 6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
I have come to develop a greater sense of urgency in my desire to know you God. Thank you for your son Jesus who died for me, who died for us all. Thank you for His body which was broken for us. Thank you for His body that feeds us. Thank you for his blood that was poured out for us. Thank you for His blood that was poured out over us. May I continue to eat Your word daily. May I never take my time here on earth for granted. May I have a sense of urgency as I eat Your bread. May I gladly eat Your unleavened bread today because like the Israelites on that fateful night I too am in an expectant rush. I am on my way to meet you Lord but if it is Your will then please use me along the way - to set some of the other captives free.
In the name of Jesus do I pray, amen.
-kenneth lee
John 5
Scripture
John 5:19
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
Observation - What does it say?
After healing an invalid on the Sabbath, Jesus was persecuted by the Jewish leaders for ‘working’ on the Sabbath. In his response, he said that like his Father, he is working. And he pointed to the fact that he could do nothing on his own. He could only do what he saw his Father doing. I have been struck reading the last two chapters about all that points to Jesus’ humanity. After the long journey he was “tired” (4:7), he was thirsty so asked for a drink (4:8), and here mentions that he couldn’t do anything apart from the Father.
Understanding - What does it mean?
If Jesus did all he did as a man, we are responsible to pursue his lifestyle.
Reading this, I was reminded of what Bill Johnson said in his book, When Heaven Invades Earth (P.29-30):
[Jesus] had no supernatural capabilities whatsoever! While he is 100 percent God, He chose to live with the same limitations that a man would face once he was redeemed. He made that point over and over again. Jesus became the model for all who would embrace the invitation to invade the impossible in His name. He performed miracles, wonders, and signs, as a man in right relationship with God… not as God. If He performed miracles because He was God, then they would be unattainable for us. But if He did them in as a man, I am responsible to pursue His lifestyle.
What were the distinctions of His humanity?
He had no sin to separate Him from the Father.He was completely dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit working through Him.
What are the distinctions of our humanity?
We are sinners cleansed by the blood of Jesus. Through his sacrifice He has successfully dealt with the power and effect of sin for all who believe. Nothing now separates us from the Father. There remains only one unsettled issue –How dependent on the Holy Spirit are we willing to live?”
Romans 8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
This is God’s intention for every one of his children, that they would be like his Son, thinking like Jesus, having the character of Jesus, and doing the things Jesus did.
Life Application
Pursue Christ-likeness and live in complete dependence on the Holy Spirit!
God, thank you for your intention to conform all of us into the image of your Son. Please transform our character, thinking and actions so that we will look more like Jesus. May we also experience the miracles, signs and wonders that take place when your kingdom comes. I don’t want to rely on my own strength, wisdom or understanding, but completely upon the Holy Spirit in all I do! Amen.
- Pastor Levi Thompson
Proverbs 18
Scripture
Proverbs 18:21 ERV
“The tongue can speak words that bring life or death. Those who love to talk must be ready to accept what it brings.”
Observation-What does it say?
In this particular passage of Proverbs, King Solomon brings light into the saying “think before you speak”.
Understanding-What does it mean?
Who knew that something as small as the human tongue could be so powerful and mighty?
King Solomon understood just how powerful our words towards one another could be. They could be encouraging and uplifting or they could be wicked, demoralizing, and break one’s spirit. What kind of words am I going to choose to speak today?
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV
“But encourage each other every day, while you still have something called “today. ” Help each other so that none of you will be fooled by sin and become too hard to change.”-Hebrews 3:13 ERV
“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:36-37 NIV
Life Application
Choose my words carefully.
“Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.”-Psalm 141:3 NIV
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”-Psalms 19:14
-Moses Gaddi