Today’s Reading: Mark 3:13-19, Matthew 9:35-38

Jesus touched so many lives as massive crowds formed around him in each town he visited. Yet with all the needs pressing in around him, his focus remained on his investment in the lives of twelve.

Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. – Mark 3:13-19

The twelve Jesus appointed are often referred to as the twelve disciples or the apostles. According to the NLT Study Bible I am using, disciples were students and followers while apostles were specially commissioned representatives. I would argue that today we are all both disciples and apostles.

TO BE A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST IS TO BE A STUDENT OR A FOLLOWER.

God has called us all to be students of the Word, to sit at His feet regularly and learn from Him. We spend time reading the Bible and we walk away with new understanding. His word is living and active, and we cannot help but be changed by studying the Scriptures. We have so much to learn and we have a great teacher who loves His students.

We also learn by listening to other students of the Word or disciples. What a great investment of our time to read a book written by another follower of Christ or to listen to the teachings of a great preacher! We listen and call on the Spirit to discern the truth of the message, allowing our hearts to grow and be transformed through the words God has given those He has called. When I question something I am reading, God’s word is the foundation of truth that I go back to each time.

Even pastors and preachers benefit from spending time listening to others and reading. This helps us find the humility God calls all of us to. We have not already arrived. We do not know all there is to know. We desperately need to keep learning in order to increase our understanding of God’s ways.

TO BE AN APOSTLE IS TO BE SPECIALLY COMMISSIONED TO REPRESENT JESUS & FULFILL HIS PURPOSE.

So we are all disciples but I would argue that we are also all apostles. If the definition of apostle is a person who is specially commissioned to represent something or someone then that is absolutely what we are. God has chosen every one of us for a specific purpose today. He has a plan and we have a choice. We can walk into that plan with the willingness to represent Jesus and fulfill His purpose for our day or we can focus on our own desires and plans.

Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” – Matthew 9:35-38

Lord, this morning I pray that you would open up my heart and show me your purpose today. Confirm in my heart what you have called me to do. Remind me WHO I have been specially commissioned to represent. God, I open up my life with a willingness today to be used by you, whether in small ways or large. Today is about you and your plan. Teach me. Show me. Use me. Guide me. Amen.

Today’s Reading: John 4:43-54

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. – Luke 4:14-15

Many of the Galileans had seen Jesus in Jerusalem, so news of his arrival spread quickly across the region. Jesus began to preach the same message of repentance that John the Baptist had been preaching in Judea. This fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy: “In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined” (Matthew 4:15-16).

John goes on to tell us in detail about the second miracle Jesus performed in Galilee:

As he traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die…

Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!” And the man believed what Jesus said and started home.

While the man was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well. He asked them when the boy had begun to get better, and they replied, “Yesterday afternoon at one o’clock his fever suddenly disappeared!” Then the father realized that was the very time Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” And he and his entire household believed in Jesus. This was the second miraculous sign Jesus did in Galilee after coming from Judea. – John 4:46-54

GOD’S TIMING IS A BEAUTIFUL THING!

It is often in the timing of an event or miracle in our lives where our faith is strengthened the most. The miracle itself is incredible, but it is the timing of God’s movement that confirms that it is God Himself at work.

I see two elements of timing in this account of John’s:
1.) Jesus arrived in Galilee just as the government official’s son became very sick, and
2.) the boy was healed at the very time when Jesus had said the words, “Your son will live.”

For most of my life, I have heard the saints in the church say, “God is always on time. He’s never late and He’s never early.” I have found that to be true in my own life, but I must admit it is not always easy to patiently wait for God’s timing. It is in these moments of waiting that our faith grows.

IT IS IN THE WAITING THAT GOD HAS OUR ATTENTION AND IT IS IN HIS PERFECT TIMING THAT WE LEARN TO TRUST IN HIM.

I am learning right now how to trust in God in new ways. He is stretching me and I know I am only at the beginning of all He is about to teach me. I am not sure what is ahead but I am sure that I can trust Him. His timing is perfect and so I plan to give Him my attention as I wait on Him.

Today’s Reading: John 4:27-42

Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” So the people came streaming from the village to see him. — John 4:27-30

Jesus made it clear early in his ministry that he had come to bring salvation to everyone. By his actions, he showed that this woman had value — this woman who was unmarried, this woman who could be stoned for her actions, this woman who was of a race hated by the Jews. This woman did not stick around to hear what the disciples had to say; she could probably see their opinion on their faces. Instead, she ran to the village she avoided; she got the attention of those whose attention had brought her pain. This woman had met the Messiah and her first response was to share the presence of Jesus with others.

Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.”
But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.”
“Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other.
Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.” — John 4:31-34

The disciples saw the day as routine — it was a travel day. They would walk through Samaria, grab some food, and be on their way. The well would provide them with the water they needed to refill their skins, and they would enjoy a moment to rest their legs and prepare for the remainder of the journey. They were unaware that Jesus had other plans. They were caught in the mundane, while Jesus was operating from the eternal.

“You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.” — John 4:35-38

Wake up and look around! There are people all around us who are lost, and we are about to make a difference in their lives. I sent you into town to buy food that someone else had grown. They planted the seed and harvested the crops. Pay attention, for we are about to see a great harvest of souls!

Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.” — John 4:39-42

I wonder how long it took the disciples to start expecting the unexpected. Life with Jesus brought spontaneous moments of teaching, healing, and preaching. The number of people who were beginning to believe that Jesus was the Messiah was growing, and life was getting very interesting for the disciples! No schedules or preset agendas. Every day was an adventure and the disciples were learning each day how to care about the needs of others, putting prejudices and conveniences aside.

What will today look like? I have a business luncheon for work, and then I plan to drive south to help my daughter move into her new home. On the way, I plan to stop and see my youngest at her college. The day is far from routine, but I could easily put blinders on and miss opportunities to be used by God in the lives of others. It would be easy to dismiss God-anointed moments if I am not intentionally responding to the Spirit’s promptings.

Thank you, God, for the reminder this morning to wake up and look around. Someone else’s salvation may be dependent on my availability. May I not get so caught up in the mundane that I miss the opportunity to operate with the eternal in mind. Amen.

Today’s Reading: John 4:13-26

Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

“Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” — John 4:13-15

Can you hear the desperation in her voice? Can you sense her longing for a different life — to find the satisfaction she had been seeking her whole life? Can you hear the years of pain and rejection reflected in her desire to never have to come to the well again?

It was noon. Women usually came to the well early in the morning or late in the day to avoid the heat of the sun, but this woman had walked to the well at noon to avoid the stares and whispers of the other women. She was desperate for relief from the self-righteousness of others. She longed to come and go unnoticed. Yet on this day, the Savior of the World made it clear to her that she was indeed seen!

“Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.

“I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.

Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” — John 4:16-18

And there she was. The sins of her past revealed by a stranger. But it was not condemnation that she saw in Jesus’ eyes, but love. It was not accusations she heard in Jesus’ voice, but compassion. Everything in her life was about to change because she had met the Giver of Life Himself. She had met the Messiah.

The Samaritan woman was simply living out her routine of daily coming to the well and Jesus met her there. Her life was never the same. God had a plan for her life; she was on a JOURNEY OF GRACE – a journey that would take her a long way from the sinful life she had known for so long; a new life in which she would never thirst again.

“Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?”

Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

Then Jesus told her, “I am the Messiah!” — John 4:19-26

If you are thinking you are not worthy, remember that Jesus chose to reveal his identity to a woman who was rejected by her community. The man who was without sin strategically positioned himself in the life of a woman who was steeped in a life of sin in order to offer her living water. In their conversation at the well, Jesus called the woman to worship God in spirit and in truth — with her heart and her head. That day he gave her the experience of both feeling loved and knowing she is loved.

So before you argue with God that your past is too messy to be used by Him, remember that He used the Samaritan woman to bring her entire village to a point of faith, and God would love to use you. And before you discount the value of the woman who has gone from one relationship to another, remember that Jesus shows her the same grace that he has shown you. And it’s possible that God is calling you to offer a very thirsty woman the living water that she was created for.

Today’s Reading: John 4:5-12

Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. — John 4:5-6

Let’s take a moment to consider the significance of this location. When Joseph received word that his father was nearing death, he went to visit him, bringing along his two sons — Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob placed his hands on his two grandsons and declared they would have all of the privileges of his sons. When his inheritance was divided among his boys, Ephraim and Manasseh would be included, even though their mother was Egyptian and their other grandfather was the priest of a false god.

These children had been a blessing to Joseph at a rough time in his life. After being rejected by his brothers and sold as a slave, God had brought joy into Joseph’s life. After being falsely accused and imprisoned, Joseph was set free and placed in a position of great authority and privilege in Egypt.

During this time, before the first of the famine years, two sons were born to Joseph and his wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said, “God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my father’s family.” Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, “God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief.” — Genesis 41:50-52

And now here Joseph was, reunited with his father and introducing him to his sons. God had restored Joseph’s relationship with his family. His troubles were forgotten, and he was now enjoying the land that had once brought him so much grief. Jacob embraced his grandsons, placed his hands on their heads, and bestowed upon them this blessing:

“May the God before whom my grandfather Abraham
and my father, Isaac, walked—
the God who has been my shepherd
all my life, to this very day,
the Angel who has redeemed me from all harm—
may he bless these boys.
May they preserve my name
and the names of Abraham and Isaac.
And may their descendants multiply greatly
throughout the earth.” — Genesis 48:15-16

Jacob blessed Joseph and his sons with the richest land of the inheritance — part of which would eventually become Samaria. As Jesus was passing through this land generations later, he sat beside the well known as Jacob’s well. John tells us that Jesus was weary from the travel and his disciples had gone into the village to get him some food. But Jesus had plans to do so much more than rest.

Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.”

The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”

Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”

“But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?” — John 4:6,9-12

And there you have it — the wounds of discrimination were laid bare and the woman of the well was defending the value of her people. The “elephant in the room” was exposed and the dividing line of racism was drawn. You are a Jew; I am a Samaritan. Why are you talking to me?

So what do we do when generations of prejudice have created a boundary we are expected not to cross? We do what Jesus did. We erase the lines and begin the process of racial reconciliation. We do not have to live out the arguments of those who have gone before us, but we can become an instrument of peace across neighborhoods and across our nation. We can sit at the well and begin a conversation.

For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” — Galatians 5:14

Today’s Reading: John 4:1-4

Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there, baptizing people. — John 3:22

Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John (though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did). So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.
He had to go through Samaria on the way. — John 4:1-4

It was time to leave Judea. In their gospel stories, Matthew and Mark tell us that John the Baptist had been arrested. Jesus knew it was not yet time for him to go head to head with the Pharisees, so he strategically led his disciples out of the Judean countryside back towards Galilee, where his ministry had begun.

On their way to Galilee, Jesus and his disciples had two options — they could take the long route around Samaria like many of the Jews did, or they could choose the short route through Samaria. Most Jews had strong feelings of prejudice against the Samaritan people because their ancestors had intermarried with the Assyrians. The northern kingdom’s capital of Samaria had fallen to the Assyrians, and most of the Jews had been led into captivity. Those Jews who remained in Samaria formed alliances with the foreigners by intermarrying with them. When the Jews returned from captivity, they rejected this new mixed race.

YOU ARE ON THE FASTEST ROUTE.

My husband and I do a lot of traveling with both of our jobs, and we have found Google Maps to be very helpful. This last weekend there was a multiple car pile up on the interstate, as well as a long stretch of construction. Google Maps alerted us to the upcoming delay and chose a different route for us, telling us we were now on the fastest route back to Kansas City.

The disciples may have thought they were simply taking a shortcut through Samaria, but Jesus had intentionally chosen this path in order to impact a woman and her entire village. Jesus did not see the color of their skin as a problem, nor did he judge them by the history of the generations before them. He saw them as sinners in need of a Savior, and he deliberately chose to show them the difference he could make in their lives. He did this by having one conversation with one woman who had experienced rejection over and over again.

Friends, it’s time for us to cross racial boundaries; it’s time for us to stop avoiding people who are different than we are. We must stop judging people by the actions of others and start seeing them through the eyes of Jesus. It is time for us to strategically position ourselves in the lives of other people so that God can use us however He wants to. Sometimes that means leaving where we are to go where He sends us; sometimes it means starting a conversation with someone who does not want to be talked to. Every time it means showing love to others; it means seeing beyond our differences and doing good for the sake of others. Let’s allow God to reroute us today.

Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism. And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

“And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear, not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.” — Acts 10:34-43

Today’s Reading: John 3:18-36

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” – John 3:18-21

WE HAVE A CHOICE: BELIEVE & WALK IN THE LIGHT OR CHOOSE UNBELIEF AND STAY IN THE DARK.

Day or night, light or dark, belief or unbelief. When we truly believe, we step into the light with a willingness to let our sins be exposed. Jesus meets us there, not to judge our sins but to save us from our sins, and to offer us eternal life – SPIRITUAL REBIRTH.

“…The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. And anyone who BELIEVES in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” – John 3:35-36

John the Baptist believed in Jesus and with that came an understanding of what it meant to be born again or born of the Spirit. John knew that the miraculous signs were more than just evidence that God was with Jesus – He knew that God had sent Jesus.

These are the words of John the Baptist regarding Jesus. His disciples had come to him concerned that everybody was going to Jesus to be baptized instead of coming to John and his disciples. John, who believed that Jesus was the Messiah, spoke with confidence of God’s plan.

“It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few BELIEVE what he tells them! Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit…” – John 3:29-34

Still today, we live in a society where few truly believe in God. We have a choice – to believe and allow God to transform our lives through spiritual rebirth OR to not believe and continue to focus on earthly things. When we have doubts, we can either focus on the struggle or focus on Jesus in the midst of the struggle. He holds the answers and can help us get through our struggle to believe; He can give us the faith we need.

GOD ALLOWS THIS STRUGGLE TO BELIEVE IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH.

The movie God’s Not Dead challenges people to either confirm that they BELIEVE in God or admit they have given up on the struggle and chosen unbelief. Debates on whether there really is a God can be heard across social media, college class discussions, and coffee shop conversations. If someone told you to come to the front of the room and convince those around you of God’s existence, could you? Better yet, would you?

Let’s be ready to share why we BELIEVE what we BELIEVE. If you struggled with doubts but came out strong in your faith as a result of the struggle, it is necessary to now equip yourself for the conversations God is going to place before you. If you are still in the midst of the struggle to BELIEVE, trust someone with those doubts and find someone to talk to. Focus on Jesus in the midst of the doubts and allow Him to reveal Himself to you. Let Him give you a rebirth or new life experience that will help you to experience His presence and give you faith that God is most definitely not dead.

Today’s Reading: John 3:1-17

Jesus often used something that could be easily understood to explain something harder to grasp. He did this when he was talking with Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. Nicodemus had seen and heard of the miraculous signs that Jesus was doing and he believed them to be evidence that God was with Jesus (John 3:2). He saw God as the source of what Jesus was accomplishing.

Jesus seemed to know that Nicodemus was struggling to understand. Without explaining why he had come to Jesus and why he had chosen after dark to do so, Jesus knew what Nicodemus was searching for and the decision he would have to make between darkness and light. Jesus went on to explain what needed to happen in order for Nicodemus to find what he was looking for – the Kingdom of God.

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” – John 3:3-8

HUMAN UNDERSTANDING VS. SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT

Nicodemus could not understand because he was struggling to believe. Nicodemus was a very intelligent man but this was going to require more than just head knowledge, this was going to require a response of the heart. Jesus knew Nicodemus was going to have to choose between remaining in the dark or stepping into the light by believing not only that God was with Jesus, but that Jesus was sent by God.

“How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.

Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t BELIEVE our testimony. But if you don’t BELIEVE me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly BELIEVE if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who BELIEVES in him will have eternal life.

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who BELIEVES in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” –John 3:9-17

If you want to experience the Kingdom of God, step out of the darkness and believe in who Jesus is. The price has already been paid – the Light of the World has already come to save us. We must choose to step into the light, allowing our sins to be exposed. When we come to Him believing, the Light of the World does not judge those sins but instead saves us from them.

I have friends who seek to understand the Bible and its spiritual truths, but they want to understand before they choose to believe. The problem is that understanding is not going to come as long as we choose to remain in the dark. It is in believing and stepping into the light, experiencing the re-birth of the Spirit, that spiritual truths begin to make sense.

Father God, I pray for those who are struggling to understand who you are because they resist believing that you are who you say you are. I pray that you will use me in their lives as a reflection of your love and a source of your light. May they come to a saving knowledge of you because they chose to step out of the darkness and follow the light made visible through our lives.

Today’s Reading: John 2:13 – 3:4

“All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
“What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?” – John 2:19-20

This was the conversation that occurred between Jesus and the Jewish leaders when he chased the money-changers and vendors out of the Temple in Jerusalem. God’s people were traveling from all over the land to come and worship at the Temple. It was almost time for the Jewish Passover celebration and the Temple would have been crowded with people who were coming to celebrate how God had freed His people from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:1-13).

Booths had been set up throughout the Temple to exchange money and to sell animals to sacrifice. They were charging high rates and making a profit instead of creating space for God’s people to come and authentically worship Him. Passion for God’s house consumed Jesus and he took action to make a change.

“Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” – John 2:16b

The Jewish leaders demanded an explanation from Jesus; they wanted him to perform a miraculous sign to prove his authority. When he offered them one, their unbelief caused them to miss out on an opportunity. They were focused on the physical place of worship and lost the opportunity to believe in the One they should be worshipping.

ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS BELIEVE, BUT THEY CHOSE UNBELIEF INSTEAD.

There were many who chose to keep their eyes on Jesus that week and they witnessed many miraculous signs because of their willingness to believe. They put their trust in Jesus and began a new walk of faith. But Jesus did not put his trust in the crowds, nor should we put our trust in people. He understood the weaknesses of our human nature (2:24-25).

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” – Jeremiah 17:9

Later, one of the Jewish leaders came after dark to speak with Jesus. Nicodemus had seen the miraculous signs Jesus was performing among the people and knew that Jesus was sent by God, but he still had questions.

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” – John 3:3-4

Jesus was speaking of spiritual rebirth but Nicodemus, like the other Jewish leaders, was stuck in the physical or literal explanation. He lacked an understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives and he lacked the faith he needed to take Jesus at his word.

What am I struggling to believe at this time in my life? Is there a truth that God wants me to learn but that I am resisting? Is there an area of my life that Jesus is trying to clear, or has my worship become for my own benefit instead of for God’s glory?

Lord Jesus, I give you permission to get my attention. Clear away the excess in my life and bring my focus back to you. Consume me with a passion for my Father’s house. I believe that you are who you said you are and that you will do what you said you would do. I do not want to miss a moment with you because of my lack of faith so I choose to take you at your word and respond in obedience to your call. Amen.

Today’s Reading: John 2:1-12

John records seven miracles in his account of Jesus’ life referring to them as “dunamis”, which is an event or sign that has a deeper meaning. The first of these miracles is when Jesus TURNED the water into wine. But even more than that was the TRANSFORMATION that took place in the lives of those in attendance that day.

Jesus attended a wedding celebration in Cana with his mother and his disciples. When Mary told Jesus the wine supply ran out, his response was, “My time has not yet come.” Mary turned to the servants and told them to do whatever Jesus told them to do.

Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. – John 2:6-8

This group of servants whom society devalued had a front row seat to the Messiah’s first miracle. John does not clearly state the impact this had on the servants but I imagine their lives were never the same. I imagine the fear they had when handing the master of ceremonies a glass of water quickly turned to faith.

When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” – John 2:9-10

JESUS TRANSFORMED A WEDDING DISASTER INTO A BEAUTIFULLY ORCHESTRATED MIRACLE.

Jesus took six stone water jars, each holding 20 to 30 gallons of water, and turned them into 180 gallons of fine-tasting wine. He took a simple, everyday beverage (water) and transformed it into a quality, highly-valued drink (wine). But this miracle of transformation was not about the water turning into wine; the true transformation was in the disciples. Curiosity had made them followers; this miracle made them believers. They witnessed the power of Jesus and their lives were never the same.

JESUS TRANSFORMED THE LIVES OF THE DISCIPLES, JUST AS HE TRANSFORMS OUR LIVES.

He takes our simplicity and is able to make us into highly effective tools for Him to use to change the world. He takes our impure, imperfect lives and purifies us, giving us a new quality and new value. We are never the same. The enemy wants to convince us that we have not changed. The world wants to continue to define us by what we used to be. God sees us as the beautiful creation that He is changing and perfecting and filling with His Spirit.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being TRANSFORMED into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 13:17-18

I am so thankful that God is working in my life. I am thankful that He loves me enough not to leave me like I am, but to change me, to redefine me and to transform me. I do not have to stir up my own enthusiasm or strength to follow Him. He places in me the desire to serve Him and the power to pursue holiness. This is nothing short of a miracle in my life.

Heavenly Father, I am so thankful that I have been REDEFINED by Jesus and that my life has been TRANSFORMED by Him. Thank you for seeing me for what I could become instead of what I am. Thank you for taking my impure, imperfect life and purifying me – giving me a new quality and a new value in you. When the enemy tries to convince me of who I am, remind me of whose I am. Remind me that I am your creation, your masterpiece and a work in progress. Amen.