Jesus has been talking about his death, which he knows is only a few days away. People in the crowd listening to him respond. They understand that he is talking about his death, but that confuses them. Look at John 12 verse 34, “The crowd spoke up, ‘We have heard from the Law that theContinue reading “How Jesus’ death brings light – John 12:12-50, Part 4”
Tag Archives: messiah
Why The Chosen…and you… don’t really know Jesus like you think you do – John 7:1-52, Preview
How well do you know Jesus? Pretty well? Maybe you would say that you know Jesus, but you also admit that you could certainly know him better. I suspect most Christians would say something like that. I wonder, though, if we met Jesus if he might shock us. I wonder if our conception of JesusContinue reading “Why The Chosen…and you… don’t really know Jesus like you think you do – John 7:1-52, Preview”
The real purpose of Jesus’ feeding of the 5000 – John 6:1-21, Part 3
A boy is standing right in front of Jesus, and the boy has a packed lunch of five small loaves of bread and two small fish. He looks across the hillside and sees the crowd of hungry people that, like him, have come to experience the miracle-worker. How is it possible that he, a boy,Continue reading “The real purpose of Jesus’ feeding of the 5000 – John 6:1-21, Part 3”
Did Jesus win his trial? You get to choose! – John 5:31-47, Part 5
The situation is bleak. The religious leaders refuse to believe Jesus. Even after such rock-solid witnesses, four of them, which you can read about here, here and here, who each give powerful testimony about Jesus, most of the religious leaders are not convinced, and they leave plotting how to take him down. What about us?Continue reading “Did Jesus win his trial? You get to choose! – John 5:31-47, Part 5”
Why Jesus said a prophet isn’t honored in his home town – John 4:43-5:15, Part 1
I learned something about miracles in Faith Church’s worship service yesterday. Each week we have a volunteer host/ess, and they guide the service, welcoming everyone, making announcements, leading the prayer time and providing other transitional elements. Yesterday, our hostess, Chris, in her transition to the sermon, talked about how many albums, songs and movies haveContinue reading “Why Jesus said a prophet isn’t honored in his home town – John 4:43-5:15, Part 1”
What it means that the disciples found the Messiah – John 1:35-42, Part 4
Jumping back into the story of Jesus’ first interaction with his disciples, in John 1:35-42, we met two men who were already disciples of John the Baptist. John the Baptist points out Jesus, and the two men start following Jesus. Jesus, it seems, catches them in the act, saying to them, “What do you want?”Continue reading “What it means that the disciples found the Messiah – John 1:35-42, Part 4”
John the Baptist’s testy interaction with the religious establishment – John 1:19-34, Part 4
Because John the Baptist said the darndest things, you can imagine it did not sit well with the religious leaders, especially when he called them snakes. And that brings us back to the passage we are studying this week: John 1:19-34. We learn in John 1:19 that the religious elite back at their HQ inContinue reading “John the Baptist’s testy interaction with the religious establishment – John 1:19-34, Part 4”
Did Jesus really die and come back to life? – Easter 2022, Preview
I just walked back in to my office at our church building, because I was outside changing the message on the church sign. It had previously advertised our Maundy Thursday service, and now the new message asks, “Did Jesus really die and come back to life? Let’s talk about that.” How would you answer thatContinue reading “Did Jesus really die and come back to life? – Easter 2022, Preview”
How God’s Kingdom overturns injustice – Mark 11, Part 5
In the previous post, we learned that, just as the crowds proclaimed on the first Sunday when they shouted, “Blessed is the coming Kingdom of our father David,” Jesus brings the Kingdom of God in our lives. But God’s Kingdom is not just within people, it is also within cultures and societies. Yes, God wantsContinue reading “How God’s Kingdom overturns injustice – Mark 11, Part 5”
The Kingdom of God is within you – Mark 11, Part 4
What is the Kingdom of God? Jesus himself taught about it, almost from the very beginning of his ministry. As we continue studying the events of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry on the very first Palm Sunday, we’ve been following Mark’s account in Mark 11. Mark tells us that the people in the crowd, as Jesus rodeContinue reading “The Kingdom of God is within you – Mark 11, Part 4”
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