Category: John

Each of us is given the opportunity every day…

John 19:1-16

1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.

4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” 5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”

6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”

But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”

7 The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”

8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”

13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.

“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.

15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”

“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.

“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.

16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

Each and every man in these verses shows our need to hang on to the things of this world. Pilate, shows his inability to do what is right for fear that he would lose his job. The Jews in the crowd, which I am sure many of whom believed Jesus to be the Messiah, refused to speak up in fear of no being accepted. This world is full of these reasons.

In order for us to truly act on behalf of the Father, we must be faith filled. It is a hard move to make sometimes, as that movement in Faith may seem to cost you something of this world. It could be a job, it could be money, it could be something you feel is greater than either of those, but we cannot allow our eyes to get in the way of our hearts.

It seems for a moment that Pilate could see greatness in Jesus, that he was moved by the resolve of Jesus. We all at one point are moved by His life and the Gospel, but we fall short of the Faith needed to act on that belief. Why? My friends, the devil is good at what he does. His distractions are proven. Only one person existed that can move us to act in Truth, Faith, and Love…Jesus.

His life speaks to us and tells us that there is more. That fear need not be the driving force behind our decisions to act. At the root of action towards what is Kingdom movement and what is right in the eyes of our Father is the belief that Jesus has already acted on our behalf. That the toughest decisions have already been made for us. We just need to walk with Him.

We need not jump through hoops, or do anything amazing. We just have to Believe that if we ask Him for help, that the help will come. Jesus died on the cross so that we would live. Jesus made all the right moves to ensure that if we act in His name, that all that we do will result in the glorification of the Father through Jesus.

Pilate knew it. Many, if not all, of the Jews knew it. You know it. Act in Faith. Step forward in Faith. Pray on your decision to act. It is promised that He will respond in the perfect manner. He always has. He always will. #JesusSaves

Amen
DK

The light of the Lord is upon you…

John 18:28-40

28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.

33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.

Jesus and Pilate talking is an amazing happening, for it is Jesus once again speaking and teaching the world. My question is, “Why didn’t the Jews take care of the killing of Jesus themselves?”

Here is my list:
Fear…that He just might be King.
Anger…that He had knowledge.
Jealousy…that many loved Him.
Laziness…they we complacent.

For these reason, I would imagine they found it easier to kill Him than to change.

As Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life…He is also the Light. His light shines on the darkness in our lives. It exposes that sin that has held us in captivity for our entire lives. Once truth is exposed, we must pray for Him to forgive us and change us, and we must repent.

I believe the main issue, in regard to the Jews wanting Jesus dead, deals with light having shone bright on the hearts of those Jews in positions of power. That light exposed Truth, which then forced the Jews to either realize they were horribly wrong, or accept Jesus and His Gospel. Ouch!

We know what is coming. It is inevitable. Jesus will hang on the cross. He will die for us. For that we thank Him and love Him. So what about the Jews? Well…Jesus died for them to. All that’s left is to Believe. That is true for all of mankind. #JesusSaves

Amen
DK

Jesus said he would…

John 18:25-27

25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”

He denied it, saying, “I am not.”

26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

I have thought this before…how painful and wretched Peter must’ve felt as the denials came out of his mouth. What a total and complete failure of a man he must’ve thought he was. What a complete and total waste of flesh he must’ve thought about himself. At least I would have.

I can say now that I wouldn’t ever deny Jesus, but so did Peter. I could say I would gladly lay down my life for Jesus, but so did Peter. I would attack anyone that would even dare lay a hand on my Shepard, but so did Peter. But Jesus saw more than the man Peter thought he was. He saw greatness in him. Jesus saw righteousness in him. Jesus saw ahead of what Peter could see, and was planning and preparing Peter through this very trial. The trial painstakingly geared to achieve the most of Peter for the Kingdom of God. Jesus saw more than just a man.

We are to go through trials throughout our lives. Trials, that if handed over to God, become a galvanization process. Processes designed to make us more and more useful to God and to fulfill His plan for us.

To ask Peter to embrace his failure as designed to expand and grow the Kingdom would be difficult for any man. But Jesus will return for all of us. He asks for Peter by name when He does. He asked for Peter. Jesus saw his heart, not his failure. Jesus sees your heart also, not your failures. He has a plan for you. Hand it to Him and He will use your failure to glorify God. Embrace the trial, for it is confirmation that He has a greater plan for you than could ever be imagined through our sight. #JesusSaves

Amen
DK

John 18:19-24

19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

23 “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

If I say something wrong, tell me. Why hit me? Is is because I spoke truth to you?

Jesus is still teaching. He was always teaching. Even as He was ridiculed and mocked and skapped, He still teaches. As a matter of fact, if the person that struck Him asked for forgiveness at that moment, Jesus would grant it. Of that, I am sure.

To be completely transparent should be the goal of every human. To not have to backtrack, change stories, or lie, to cover up a wrongdoing is pretty high on the list of many I am sure. The ability to allow your walk be your talk. To be a walking testimony, is a daily goal of mine.

I want to walk the way Jesus did. I want to be able to teach through service to others. I want others to see Him in me, rather than the person I am. I want people to know that I am forgive be a use of the blood of Jesus. I want people to know that cross is still actively taking care of sin daily. That the Finish Work Of The Cross is real.

I hope that my walk reflects Jesus in me today. And I hope this for each and every day until I am called home. #JesusSaves

Walk with Him in forgiveness of sins and sin…

John 18:15-18

15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.

17 “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.

He replied, “I am not.”

18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.

The picture of Peter standing near the fire to warm himself is a mighty powerful image. A man who is cold and seeking to warm himself at a fire is asked a question. Perhaps they would have asked him to leave the fire and be cold. Perhaps they would’ve beat him or stoned him, as many were not fond of those that followed Jesus at this time. The situation that Peter was in is no excuse for denial, but we have all been there. You will find yourself there again.

To choose what is easy and comfortable is human nature. After all, when you are hot you seek cool water. When you are cold, you seek warmth. It is the way of this world. We are slaves to our flesh, and our flesh cries with it the mighty weight of sin. Not sons, as those have been fogiven. But rather our flesh carries sin. Sin as a state of being. I assimilate sin to being underwater…all the time. With sin being the water.

So, how do we breathe? Jesus! Jesus is how we breathe. He has taken our sins away with His blood. Through the cross, we are reminded that sin can also be overcome through our carrying of the cross the way that Jesus did. To carry the burden of sin and bare the yoke the way that He did. We need to beat ourselves up over sin. Repent! Change! The rest is His responsibility. Do not let guilt and fear rule your life. That’s too heavy. Walk past the sin. Walk past the denial of Him. You are forgiven. #JesusSaves

Amen
DK

The power is in you, even stronger than it was in Him…

John 18:1-14

When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.

2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”

5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”[a]

10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.

Jesus was prepared. The soldiers were not. They flew backward and fell when Jesus said, “I am He.” Jesus is the Messiah.

Peter’s response is a human one. One of anger and fear. One that is sparked not by God, but by the evil that prowls. Jesus reminds His followers that this was part of the plan. Part of God’s perfect plan. We know from the previous readings of Matthew Mark, and Luke, that thia was difficult even for the perfect man that Jesus was. Peter acted in the way that I would’ve acted. I imagine many of us would be angry and afraid like Peter. The rebuke was not subtle, but very direct and to the point.

Tomorrow, as you go to work, imagine yourself confronting those that have spoken and acted against you. When you have their faces in mind, ask God to help you forgive them. Ask Him to come into your life and teach you to give others that gift that you have been given…Forgiveness. walk in the authority of Jesus, and as they act against you in the future, remember that you have been given life. A life designed to glorify Him even in the toughest of trials.

I will join you. As we join in prayer tomorrow morning, stretch your faith. People will notice and ask you about that light that you walk with. When they do, say that you walk with Jesus. #JesusSaves

Amen
DK

John 17:20-26 (NIV)

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you[e] known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Complete and total sacrifice. Jesus placed himself in our place. In that moment He took our pain and suffering. So, through this act, know that that you have been cleansed of all sin. Those things that we do have been covered. What we see and do and the actions we take in sin are not of our hearts, but rather the evil one fighting to take back what has been delivered and redeemed.

We must walk in this facy. The fact that we have been saved. As we learn to walk in His favor, we can be free. The devil has no hold on our hearts, only our flesh is in turmoil.

Lord we ask you now, let not our hearts be trouble or afraid. Let us see that your son was sent for that which we sometimes toil over. We have been set free. Lord, on the name of Jesus we say we are free and delivered. Thank you Jesus. #JesusSaves

Amen
DK

We are His…

John 17:6-19 (NIV)
6 “I have revealed you[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of[b] your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by[c] that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by[d] the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

Our Advocate, Jesus Christ, parts to the Father not only for those that walked with Him faithfully on earth, but all of us that walk with Him now. This prayer extends beyond all of time and from generation to generation. It is a prayer from the mouth of our Savior and Creator to the Father in Heaven. His advocacy began evn as He knew He was on His way to the cross. Even in the darkest of times.

This is what He does today. He does this for the believer. He does this so that we are sanctified through His gift of redeeming blood. This gift, given so freely and willingly to those that accept His Gospel, is available for fresh renewal when we believe.

Sanctification is not easy, but is certainly worth. Much of what you did not know about yourself will be revealed. It hurts, yes, but it is necessary for you to receive the full measure of what He has given. As you receive this truth, stay close to Him through prayer. In the same measure that blessing will be given to you, the evil will attack. The evil one will try and convince that you have it all wrong. That you are failing. That there is no way that you can do it. Guess what? He is right. You can’t! But God can. You must run to Him daily. It is an exercise in Faith. Consider it your workout. Your weights. Your running.

Be disciplined daily and rmseek Him. Seek Him, and you will find Him. Jesus is with you. The Holy Spirit is with you. God is with you. Fear not. You will make it and He will be Glorofied! #JesusSaves

Amen
DK

Hallelujah!

John 17:1-5

17 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

John 16:16-33

16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”

17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? 20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

29 Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

31 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Now we believe. Jesus spoke plainly and clearly to them so that we would believe. It is clear that Jesus cane to this world to save us, and He cane directly from the Father. Sent by the Father to save us.

The connection that Jesus had as He was on earth has been solidified in us as well. Jesus left us with all the help we will ever need in the Holy Spirit. With that great gift, we now have the ability to see all that He sees. The choice is ours.

We need not worry, or fear. We need only to love. God. Ourselves. Our neighbors. In that order. #JesusSaves

Amen
DK