Episode 98 - "Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it." - John 14:12-14

John 14:12   “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Jesus seems to have a way of saying things that cause us to stop and say, “Really?” In these short three verses, he makes at least two of these “Really” statements. The first is his promise the disciples will do the works that Jesus himself has done and will do even greater works.  The second is “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it.” 

I don’t know about you, but my thoughts in response to these promises are more like Sarah laughing when the divine visitors told Abraham that Sarah would have a child in her old age. To be quite frank, my faith is tested when reading these promises. I have difficulty fully accepting that these are true for me. 

Some folks have suggested that these promises were to the apostles and do not extend to believers beyond the apostles. But, I find myself convicted when tempted to rationalize that they don’t really apply to me or other believers around me. I get this voice in my head that says, “No. Take it for what it says.” So, as I examine it, I notice that if we read it and take it for what it all says, there is a great encouragement to be found in these verses.

First, Jesus begins by saying, “Truly, truly.” It’s his way of getting their attention so that what follows is emphasized to them and they cannot reason it away even if they don’t understand it. They know he means what he says. 

Secondly, it’s important to see that this promise is to “whoever believes in” Jesus. That’s us as well as the apostles. But, what does it really mean to “believe in” Jesus? Think about when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and John recorded that many believed in him. But some returned to the Pharisees. The implication is that the latter group did NOT believe in Jesus. Wait a minute! People who knew that Lazarus had really died and that heard Jesus call him by name and watched Lazarus walk out of the tomb alive didn’t believe that really happened? No, I don’t think so. I think they understood all of that. But, they weren’t responding by placing their faith in Jesus. There’s a difference between understanding with our brain and responding by valuing the reality of those facts and realigning your whole way of thinking in light of this revelation. 

So, if this promise is only true for true believers in Jesus Christ, then our hearts, our values are going to be informed by following Jesus and seeking to do what God wants us to do. That’s what Jesus did, right? He only did what he saw the Father doing. Likewise, Jesus was about to return to the Father, and he wants his followers to continue the works that he did. 

How is it possible that we could do works greater than what Jesus did? Stop for a moment and consider what that could possibly be. Can we do something that would be greater than restoring life to a dead person? I cannot think of what that might be. So, how could our works be greater? I suspect that they are greater in the sense that none of us are perfect. None of us are God-incarnate. Furthermore, we are broken through our sin. Therein lies the answer. I think that Jesus is saying that our works are greater relatively speaking because we are simply creatures who “believe in” Jesus. He says the believer will work greater works “because I am going to the Father.” (v. 12) In other words, he would no longer be physically present for everyone to look to when they wanted a miracle. His antagonists would initially think that they got rid of their problem. But, now his followers would be performing miracles and it would make a profound impact on the world. How would they do this? As the Gospel of John reveals when Jesus would soon return to the Father, he would send the Holy Spirit to be with them and be the power that would work the miracles. This sending of the Holy Spirit would occur on the Day of Pentecost as we read in the first chapter of Acts. In the New Testament Scriptures there are numerous accounts of miracles performed by Jesus’ followers through the power of Jesus’ name and the Holy Spirit. Perhaps there is no greater miracle however than a person receiving eternal life when believing in the good news of Jesus. They have moved from a state of death even though their physical heart may be beating to receiving eternal life when they believe the gospel. We do not have the power within ourselves to make people believe it. But, we have the responsibility and privilege to share the gospel and pray that people will believe it and receive eternal life. That is a great miracle when it happens.

Moving onto the next promise Jesus gave his followers, Jesus twice promised in verses 13-14, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do.” Between the repeated promise he explains the reason why he will do what we ask in his name: “that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” This is important because the priority is not about us getting what we want. The priority is that the Father is glorified in the Son. Do you think “anything” includes that which does not glorify the Father? I don’t think so. There is a strong connection between asking something in Jesus’ name and what honors the Father. What is important is that truly having faith in Jesus will keep our minds focused upon doing what the Father wants as Jesus did. Furthermore, we can have confidence that as God leads us, we can make requests in keeping with that, desiring that the Father and the Son are glorified in answering that prayer. This means that we have divine power available to us. We are not alone. God is with us and hears us and desires to answer our requests that will lead to His glory. 

What about when we feel God is not answering our prayers? Perhaps we are not truly asking in Jesus’ name. Perhaps we’re just using the words hoping to get what we want or think is right. Perhaps what we are asking for would not bring glory to God. Perhaps God has answered the prayer, but not exactly as you might expect or maybe we are just not aware that the prayer has been answered.

The primary thing is to accept these promises at face value and trust Jesus that he can and will hear us and answer our prayers for the glory of the Father.

Episode 79 - Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God? - John 11:38-46

John 11:38   Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” 45   Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

We now arrive at the pinnacle of this event. Jesus went to the tomb and there are many people there grieving with Mary and Martha. When Jesus gave the command to remove the large stone that sealed the cave’s entrance, Martha voiced the only response that everyone there was likely thinking based upon human reason and experience. Because Lazarus had been dead and buried for four days, normally the corpse would be rotting and stinking by now. It’s clear from this that no one would believe that Lazarus could possibly be alive and certainly would not come back to life after being dead. Jesus’ response to her complaint was, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God? (v.40) Do you think they were believing? Well, they removed the stone. This seems to me like an example of Jesus’ point in Matthew 17:20 where he suggests that people just need “faith as a grain of mustard seed.” God will use the smallest amount of faith to reveal His glory. I don’t those people rolling the stone away really expected anything but a bad odor to come from that cave. But, they were obedient to Jesus’ command and God demonstrated a great miracle in front of their eyes.

Jesus called Lazarus by name. I suspect John recorded this fact so that people wouldn’t argue that Jesus had staged the event by having a live person come out and then they could argue that Jesus hadn’t specified who should come forth. 

The result of Lazarus coming out of the tomb alive was manifested in two ways. The glory of God was revealed by many people believing in Jesus. But, it was also manifested by exposing the darkness in some who saw this miracle with their own eyes, but they returned to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. The implication is that they stood in contrast with those who believed.

Can you imagine that? Watching Jesus call a dead man by name and that person coming back to life and watching people walking away in rejection of the truth about who Jesus is? It is amazing. But, it’s amazingly sad. 

This is an important reminder that no one can make people believe in Jesus. No matter what they see or hear, some will still turn away from the good news of Jesus Christ. So, we cannot think of ourselves as failures if people reject the message we share or think of ourselves as so great or special if they believe it. It’s not about us. It’s about Jesus and the power of the good news about Jesus.

Episode 76 - Lazarus dies and Jesus' promise to raise him up - John 11:5-16

John 11:5   Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake, I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

If you recall from the last podcast, these sisters sent a message to Jesus concerning their brother Lazarus who was ill saying, “the one you love is ill.” Now, John tells us that Jesus loved Mary and Martha. In other words, Jesus was very close to this family. But, John’s statement here serves to impress this upon us prior to revealing the next detail of the story. John tells us that upon learning of Lazarus’ illness, he stayed where he was two more days. For someone who has demonstrated the ability to heal illnesses and give sight to a man born blind, this appears to be an odd and not-so-loving response.

After this delay, Jesus says to his disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” This evokes a concerned response from the disciples. They are concerned that the Jews who were seeking to stone Jesus have not calmed down and may quickly attempt to fulfill their desire if they go back. This is Jesus’ opportunity to teach again and to prepare them for what they have yet to learn and believe. Jesus, the Light of the world, uses an analogy of light and how people accomplish things in the light because the light illumines what is around them and they don’t stumble. There is God’s work to be done while the Light is with them. 

Jesus then tells them that Lazarus is asleep and he is going back toward Jerusalem to awaken him. I can easily empathize with the disciples when they reply, “If he is asleep, he will recover (wake-up).” I suspect the attitude among these men was, “Are you kidding me? We’re going to risk our lives to go wake up Lazarus from sleep?”

Remember that in our last session, upon learning of Lazarus’ illness, he said, “his illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (verse 4) Later he tells the disciples that Lazarus is sleeping. But, now after the disciples take Jesus very literally, Jesus tells them, “Lazarus has died.”(v. 14) In fact, when we read the whole story, we discover that Lazarus likely died very soon after the messengers went in search for Jesus. Jesus knew it all along. So, why did he say that the illness would not lead to death and then say that Lazarus was sleeping? I think the answer comes in what he says after he tells the disciples that Lazarus has died. He tells them,  “for your sake, I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.” (v. 15) Believe what? If Jesus said that Lazarus was asleep and he was going to wake him, but he knew that Lazarus had died, what is Jesus really saying he’s going to do? He is going to raise him from the dead. This is why he waited; so that everyone would know that Lazarus wasn’t just unconscious and appear to be dead. People believed that Jesus could heal his sickness. But, they did not yet believe that Jesus had the ability to restore Lazarus’ life. 

This explains why Jesus said earlier that Lazarus’ illness would not lead to death, but for the glory of God. Even though Lazarus would die, it would only be temporary because God wanted people to believe more about Jesus. Who has the power to give life but God Himself? This sign is to further confirm the deity of Jesus. 

This section closes with a statement from Jesus’ disciple Thomas who concedes, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” While I suspect that this primarily reveals Thomas’s doubt or lack of faith, I wonder if John includes these words to suggest a divinely prophetic message in them that these disciples must die to themselves. When they witness Jesus call a dead man back to life and later Jesus taking back his own life, their faith is being perfected and they truly understand Jesus’ identity. Maybe all of this is recorded to affect the perfecting of our faith.

Episode 75 - "So that the Son of God may be glorified" John 11:1-4

John 11:1   Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

This is the beginning of the final “sign” of Jesus that John reports to his readers. Let’s review them.

1. Jesus turned the water into wine at the wedding in Cana.

2. Jesus healed the noble man’s son by speaking from a long distance.

3. Jesus healed the lame man by the pool.

4. Jesus miraculously fed at least 5,000 people by the Sea of Galilee.

5. Jesus walked on water.

6. Jesus gave sight to a man born blind.

7. Jesus calls a dead man by name (Lazarus), and he comes out of the tomb alive.

John begins this account by saying, “a certain man was ill.” Then, he tells us the man’s name, where he’s from, and his relationship to Jesus. It is difficult to determine with great confidence. But, I wonder why John felt it import to speak of him as a certain man. I guess that it may be because he knew him and maybe because this story is so astounding that John is giving us information to affirm that this is historically true. This really happened to a real person, and it’s not just a fictional, legendary story to teach a moral or make Jesus appear more amazing than he really was. John says this story is about “a certain man,” and here is his name and here is where he lives. Talk to him and his family and friends if you don’t believe me (John). 

Lazarus, a nickname for Eleazer, means “God has helped.” He is the brother of Martha and Mary. These are the same sisters who welcomed Jesus into their home, and while Martha focused on hospitality, her sister Mary sat down to listen to Jesus’ teaching. (Luke 10:38-42) Jesus knew this family well. Bethany is within a few miles east of Jerusalem on the road to Jericho. This place became a base for Jesus during his ministry. In verse 2, John tells us more about Mary, that she was the one who anointed his feet before the event actually occurs. We’ll read about that in the next chapter. 

Then, John tells us these ladies sent Jesus a message, “he whom you love is ill.” They don’t say, “Lazarus is ill.” Why this choice of words? Again, it’s only my conjecture. But, I suspect that they are aware that there are people nearby (due to their proximity to Jerusalem) who are on the lookout for Jesus to do him harm, and they are framing their request in such a way to heighten the need for him to come back toward Jerusalem. Perhaps it’s even a bit from their own selfish desires for Jesus to come and heal their brother. Therefore, they don’t say, “Lazarus, our brother, is ill.” They say, “he whom you love” is ill. The point is not to cast them in an evil, manipulating light. It simply shows their humanness and their love for their brother. They believe Jesus can heal their brother, and they are appealing to him in the strongest way they know-how. 

Jesus response to this message has three parts:

1. This illness does not lead to death.

2. It is for the glory of God.

3. So that the Son of God may be glorified through it

Let’s look at each part on its own. 

What does Jesus mean by “This illness does not lead to death?” Of course, it leads to death. Is Jesus lying? Did John misunderstand Jesus? One does not have to read much farther to learn that Lazarus dies. The point here is that death is not the end or purpose of this illness, and this is verified by the fact that at the end of the story, Lazarus is alive and well. So, what is the purpose? That is explained in the second part of Jesus’ answer.

“It is for the glory of God.” Does that sound familiar? It should. This was Jesus’ explanation for the condition of the man born blind; so that God would be glorified not only in him receiving his sight but also hope for eternal life through the faith he gained in Jesus. Does it seem to you that perhaps the signs that Jesus performs and even the order in which they occur are working together to bring glory to God and His Son, Jesus? I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Jesus healing the man born blind so that the glory of God might be revealed happens prior to Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. His disciples would have (and did) remembered this saying because they had just heard it right before Jesus healed the man born blind. These things are all in God’s plan for Jesus’ disciples and ultimately for us to understand and believe in Jesus.

That is the final part of Jesus’ response; “So that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” We will see how this sign leads to his glorification as we continue through this book. But, for now, it’s important to understand that God is glorified when His Son Jesus is glorified. 

Episode 74 - "Everything John said about this man was true" - John 10:40-42

John 10:40   He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.

We have seen how the animosity towards Jesus by people in Jerusalem has grown. People have sought to stone him to death or to arrest him. Yet, they have failed because it has not been Jesus’ hour. 

In this brief section that follows the most recent attempt to stop and silence Jesus, Jesus leaves Jerusalem and travels across the Jordan River to where John the Baptist had been baptizing people. This location is where Jesus’ ministry began when he went to be baptized by John. Doesn’t this feel like the author is bringing his story to a close by drawing attention to Jesus returning to where his ministry started? If you look at the whole Gospel of John, you will notice that we are only half-way through the book. The first half of the book has covered a span of a few years of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Yet, the last half of the book covers only the last few weeks of his life and then the short time on earth following his resurrection. So, I believe this is here to indicate a coming completion to Jesus’ ministry. 

Do not overlook the mention that this was where John had been baptizing. The author reminds us of John and his ministry.  It should evoke in our mind the purpose for John baptizing, calling people to repent of their sin, and preparing the way for the Lord. Did he accomplish that? Absolutely! This fact is evident by what happens when Jesus goes there and remains there. 

Many people go to him. But, they did not go there to stone Jesus or to arrest him. They were drawn to him, and they recall John the Baptist’s message. They realize that many people recognized that John the Baptist was a prophet. They believed him even though he did not perform a single sign. They realized that Jesus did perform signs, and they understood that everything John said about Jesus was true. It would seem evident that they should, therefore, believe in Jesus. 

These people were like the sheep Jesus spoke of, aren’t they? While some people heard Jesus’ teaching, saw his miracles, but still rejected him, these people became convinced that Jesus was the Messiah. 

How about you? After reading or hearing about Jesus’ healing people and giving sight to a man born blind, and considering his claims about his identity, do you believe that he is the Messiah (Christ)? Do you believe he is the unique Son of God who could and would lay down his own life as he said he could and that by believing in him, you can be forgiven of your sins and have hope of being raised from death to eternal life with God?

Episode 67 - If this man were not from God, he could do nothing - John 9:24-34

John 9:24-34

24   So for the second time, they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

This story is one of my favorites in the Bible, and it’s this section that gets me. In this section, we see this man move from sharing only the events that have transpired to a deduction of greater truth based upon those facts. Let’s examine what happens.

The Jewish leaders summon the man again and tell him, “Give glory to God.” That seems both right and good. God should be given the glory for such a miracle. However, their directive to the man is qualified by how they think he should give glory to God. They add, “We know that this man is a sinner.” What are they saying? They are saying that this man (Jesus) had no part in giving him his sight. Therefore, in their mind, for him to tell people that Jesus gave him his sight, he would NOT be giving glory to God. 

The man responds with a “just the facts” kind of answer to that statement. He argues that he is not an adequate judge of whether the man Jesus is a sinner or not. But, he does know that he had been blind, and now he sees. When they respond by once again asking him what Jesus had done to him, we see a change in this man. His response almost sounds like it’s coming from Jesus himself. Paraphrasing his response, “I’ve already told you, but you have refused to believe what I’ve told you. (Sarcastically) Why should I tell you again? Do you want to be his disciples?” He knows they don’t want to be his disciples. They’re trying to convince the man to change his basic story about Jesus because they don’t like more people becoming Jesus’ disciples. So, they threaten people and try to change the story. 

This response has brought out their real character and motives. They defend themselves by arguing that they are followers of Moses, but they don’t know where this man came from. That is interesting since one of their own, Nicodemus, had earlier confessed, “We know that you’ve come from God.” Now they claim not to know that. 

The man is incredulous at this claim, and he points out that never in history had they heard of anyone (Moses included) giving sight to someone who had been born blind, until now. His argument is, “How could Jesus be a sinner, rebelling against God, and still work a miracle that none of God’s prophets had ever done?” Then in verse 33, we see a clear statement of what he now “sees” with his understanding: “If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 

Their pride has been confronted in full force by this man’s conviction and explicit assertion of what is an obvious truth to him. So, they accuse him of being utterly sinful and cast him out.

We need to understand that, in this regard, the world and people are no different today than they were then. If Jesus were physically here today and working these same miracles, there would be people who would deny that Jesus could even possibly be from God. Why? Because it confronts their pride, and they can’t handle it. They refuse to be humbled to think they need a Savior from their sinful condition. They will accuse you, threaten you, or possibly even do something to jeopardize your means of living. Yet, we must clearly state the exact truth about who Jesus is. People need to hear it. God will work miracles in some people’s lives by giving them sight to their spiritual blindness that they’ve had from birth.

Episode 65 - His "vision" is improving - John 9:13-17

John 9:13   They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

What has become apparent is that Jesus has, as we say, created a stir. People who recognized him are amazed that this man who has been blind and begged all his life is now walking around on his own able to see. 

When asked what happened that caused him to see, he has responded very factually with no additional commentary on the miracle or the miracle worker Jesus. So, people take him to the Pharisees. Uh oh. This can’t be good, right? Then, John mentions that it was the Sabbath (again) that Jesus healed this man. You can sense the conflict coming again can’t you. They’ve sought to kill him for healing the lame man on the Sabbath. Will this healing change their minds about Jesus? Let’s “see” what happens as they investigate this amazing event. They ask the man how he received his sight. The man gave them the same factual information that he’d given the crowd at the temple.

Initially, this creates a division among the Pharisees. Some dig their heals into the sand and insist that Jesus is “not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But, others ask “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” That’s a good question. What is your answer to that question? Have you thought about that?

With this conflict among the Pharisees, some of them finally have the sense to ask the man who had been healed his opinion about Jesus’ identity. I love the irony here. The religious expert are divided and cannot come to a conclusion, so they ask the man who had been healed. 

Remember how this story started? Jesus and his disciples see the blind man begging and his disciples make an assumption about the man and his condition. They assume that this blind is God’s judgment upon him for sin of his parents or even himself as an unborn child. These disciples are expressing what obviously would have been a cultural and common expectation. Certainly the Pharisees had no higher view of him. “He’s a sinner!” But, here they are asking his opinion on something they cannot agree. 

There is no evidence that the man had been asked this question before. Furthermore, we don’t know how much time this man might have had to consider his answer. But, it appears that his answer is quick and confident: “He is a prophet.” 

What we have here is that after the man’s physical eyes begin to see, now his spiritual vision is gaining clarity. No longer is Jesus just a man who put mud on his eyes and told him where to go wash. Things are coming together for him and he realizes that there is something spiritually special about Jesus and he recognizes that Jesus is a prophet. That is correct. The people who ate the loaves and fish in the wilderness area recognized Jesus and the Prophet like Moses who was to come, but soon abandoned him. How will this man respond? We’ll find out in future episodes.

Episode 64 - "How were your eyes opened?" - John 9:8-12

John 9:8   The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

In an old detective television show called “Dragnet,” the main character, Sgt. Joe Friday would often question various people regarding a crime he was investigating and people would give all sorts of information related or not to what they had witnessed. Sgt. Friday would interrupt them and say, “Just the facts.”

This section reminds me of that because there are people who recognize this man who has been given his sight for the first time in his life. But, to see him walking around on his own is something that is very different and it makes some people think this person is one who looks like the blind beggar man they knew. But, he affirms that he is the one. 

When they ask how his eyes were opened, he gives them just the facts. In John’s account of this man’s amazing experience of healing, the man doesn’t give us any thoughts beyond the facts of what happened. He does not offer any opinion as to who Jesus is or how he could possibly have given this man sight. Furthermore, when they asked, “Where is he” he told them he didn’t know. 

I cannot imagine what that guy thought when he first opened his eyes after washing the mud away. But, I have to admit that I wonder why this guy let Jesus out of his sight. Perhaps he got caught up in this new experience of seeing for the first time. But, what is apparent is that all this man has considered about Jesus is that he knows how to make mud and put it on his eyes and tell him where he should wash it off. Soon, he will be forced to think more deeply about what has happened and Jesus’ identity.

This is so relevant for today because many people may identify as Christians. They may talk about Jesus. They may believe he gave sight to blind people. But, do they know who he is? For those of us who’ve had the privilege of learning and believing the full revelation of Jesus’ identity we should take this to heart so that we can invite others into seeing Jesus’ identity and placing their trust in him.

Episode 43 - Jesus walks on water

John 6:16   When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

So far John has given us four “signs” or miracles that Jesus performed; although he mentions at times that he’s worked many others. At the end of this book, John will say that the books of the world could not contain everything Jesus did. But, John is careful to select seven in the first half of this book to show who Jesus is. They are:

1. Jesus turning the water into wine.

2. Jesus healing the official’s son.

3. Jesus healing the lame man on the Sabbath near the the pool.

4. Jesus feeding the 5,000+.

Now the fifth miracle is Jesus walking on the water. That is an amazing thing and we would recognize that to be miraculous. The question is however, “What is it about this miracle that John decides it will be one of the few that he selects to give us detail.

In giving you my belief as to why, let me remind you that prior to the feeding of the multitude, Jesus told his antagonists that Moses wrote about him. Then, immediately after John tells us that, he tells us about how Jesus, in a manner even greater that Moses, miraculously fed this large multitude of people in a wilderness area. The people themselves noticed this because they said so and they wanted to make Jesus king. 

The scene here that John gives us is of the disciples getting into a boat on the Sea of Galilee without Jesus. (We are left to wonder whether Jesus told them to or whether they made an executive decision to leave without him.) Their intended destination is Capernaum on the other side of the sea. Scholars believe this may have been about seven miles from where they started. They are halfway across, a strong wind has come up making the water rough, and John says in verse 17, “It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.” 

Did you see that? They left Jesus. It was dark. Jesus (the light of the world) had not yet come to them. I don’t deny that this was what happened. But, it seems to me that John is giving us this detail to indicate that the darkness they were in was not just because of the hour of the day or clouds obscuring any natural light. This physical reality also represented their own ignorance and perhaps lack of trust in Jesus still. They needed Jesus to come to them to give them His light.

When they are in the middle of the sea, Jesus comes walking on top of the water toward them and they are frightened. A few things I notice about this:

1. These men got a head start and were collectively rowing toward their intended destination. Yet, Jesus caught up with them walking; wind and water were no impedance to him.

2. Moses, God’s prophet, also came to a large body of water. God instructed him to hold out his staff and God parted the water so that Moses and the people could walk through on dry ground. Jesus, the Prophet like Moses, just walks over the top of it. 

3. In response to their fear, Jesus, the Light of the world, and also the Word of God speaks to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” This could also be understood as “It is I am; do not be afraid.” Maybe I’m reading too much into this. But, the fact of the matter is that this book is loaded with double-entendres and I personally believe that’s what is happening here. Clearly, they hear his voice and understand that Jesus is identifying himself. However, I think John, after the fact, realizes God’s providential intent in Jesus’ words to also say, “I am (the Creator, Redeemer God of your ancestors) here with you. You do not need to be afraid.”

When Jesus said that, John says they gladly took him into the boat. But, the last little note puts the icing on this cake. John writes that when they took him into the boat, they were “immediately at the land to which they were going.” Don’t forget that they were only halfway across the sea when Jesus appeared to them. When he got in the boat, they were immediately at their destination. Wow!

If we see the same things in this text, I think we have a better picture of why John included this miracle. It’s evidence that Jesus is the Prophet like Moses. But, he’s so much more. He is the Light of the world. He is the Word of God. He is “I am” meaning, he is God.

We need Jesus in our boat don’t we. We need him on our everyday journey. We need to trust him and knowing that he is with us, we don’t need to be afraid.

Episode 41 - Moses wrote about Jesus (Feeding of the 5000)

In the last episode we read how Jesus told his antagonists that Moses wrote about him (Jesus). If you are like me, you might be thinking to yourself, “I’ve been back and forth through the first five books of the Bible and don’t have a clue where Moses writes about Jesus. In this episode, I’m going to suggest one area that is likely intended by Jesus to support this claim. There is probably much to learn or discuss concerning the details of this passage; things like the significance of twelve baskets of leftovers. But, I think it’s more important to recall that prior to this miracle, John has given us an account of Jesus making this claim. This miracle will lend itself to the defense of that claim. Let’s read it.

John 6:1   After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

We see how Jesus and his disciples go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. We aren’t given a reason why. The account just seems to indicate that it’s a remote area but many people followed him because of the signs he was working. The account says about 5,000 men. That may not include numbers of women and children. Jesus goes up a mountain with his disciples. Now this is interesting to me because Moses himself went into a wilderness area followed by a large group of people. Moses then went up Mount Sinai to speak with God.

Jesus poses a question to the disciples about how all these people are going to get fed. One disciple indicates that it would cost too much money to afford to feed all these people. Andrew observed that there was a boy in the crowd who had five loaves of bread and two fish, “but what are they for so many?” he asked. 

These men had been present when Jesus turned the water into wine. They had also witnessed other miracles. I can’t tell whether Andrew’s response was searching in hopeful expectation that Jesus might provide enough food with these fews loaves and fish or whether he himself was still doubting. Due to the number of people, it would be easy to suspect that it might be beyond what could be done. 

Jesus instructs the disciples to have all the men sit down. Why is this important? For one, it would allow for an orderly distribution of food. Secondly, it would make it easy for people to observe Jesus working a miracle before their eyes. 

It works. Jesus takes the loaves and fish and multiplies this food until everyone has eaten as much as they wanted AND the leftovers were far more than what was originally available in the original source of food. Jesus has miraculously fed a large multitude of people in a wilderness area. Moses also fed a large multitude of people in a wilderness area by the divine power of God as well didn’t he. Is this a coincidence? Am I reading into this something that is not there? All I can say is that this appears to be how the people who were fed responded to the miracle having seen it themselves. They say, “This is indeed the Prophet that is to come into the world.”(v. 14) They recognize that what Moses wrote about in Deuteronomy 18:15-19 has come about through Jesus. 

Deuteronomy 18:“15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.

This is John’s way of helping his audience understand and believe that Jesus is fulfilling the Scriptures and that Moses truly wrote about him. 

Episode 36 - Do you want to be healed?

John 5:1-9

1   After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2   Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. 

The section begins the third sign that John specifically includes in his gospel account. You should notice that this one takes place back in Jerusalem. We have no idea how much time has passed since he was in Galilee. But, Jerusalem is the center of Jewish worship at the temple and we already know that the Jewish rulers are antagonists. They have heard that Jesus has become more popular than John the Baptist. By now, they’ve probably heard about him healing the man’s son in Galilee without even being present with the son. 

The details of this setting is that there is a man who has been lame for thirty-eight years and it would appear that he resides near this pool that is believed to have some power to heal people of their infirmities if they can only get into the pool in a timely manner. He has not been able to achieve that.  It is clear that he doesn’t know who Jesus is. He does not send anyone to ask Jesus to heal him. Jesus initiates the meeting. Jesus is aware that he’s been there a long time.

It seems to me that Jesus’ question to him is such an important question for everyone. “Do you want to be healed?” We might be inclined to think of that as a silly question for someone who has been lame for so long. The question expects a yes or no answer and we’d be inclined to think that everyone would answer yes. But, the man doesn’t answer yes or no. Instead, he provides an excuse as to why he’s not been able to get into the pool quick enough. It’s a “Yes, but . . .” kind of answer that leaves us wondering if he really does want to be healed. Jesus seems content with the answer. Perhaps Jesus perceives in that response a little bit of faith that he can be healed, but that the man’s expectation that getting into the pool at the right time needs to be corrected. Jesus simply commands him to get up, pick up his bed and walk. John tells us the man was healed instantly. We’re seeing a consistent pattern here, aren’t we. The Word of God speaks and God’s power and will are immediately effective. 

The final part of verse nine is John informing us that this occurred on the Sabbath. We will see in our next section why this is important. But, in this opening segment of this story, I would encourage you to ask yourself, “Do I want to be healed?” You may say, “But, I’m not lame, blind, or deaf.” But, you are dying. We are all dying; a result of mankinds’ disobedience to God. We are broken and not whole. God is offering to make us well through faith in Jesus. Do we want God to make us whole or will we make excuses about how we’ve not been able to accomplish it ourselves. The fact of the matter is that we cannot do it ourselves. We need Jesus. 

Episode 35- Believing without seeing

John 4:43-54

43   After the two days he departed for Galilee. 44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.

46   So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

Before we get to the heart of this healing miracle, I’d like to address something about the very last verse we read. John writes “This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.” (v. 54) At a cursory glance, one might think that John is telling us this is the second sign or miracle that Jesus worked. But, if you recall, John told us that Jesus was performing signs in Jerusalem at the Passover feast (John 2:23) . So, how do we take this? Is it a mistake? Has John quickly forgotten that Jesus had worked those miracles in Jerusalem? I don’t think so. Notice that John  qualifies this sign as the second one he did “when he had come from Judea to Galilee.” If you go back to John 1:43 we see the first time that Jesus goes from Judea to Galilee. It was while he was up there that he created the wine from the water just by speaking. Now, he returns to Galilee again from Judea via Samaria. 

With that cleared up, we could ask ourselves, “Why does John mention that it’s the second sign Jesus has worked in Galilee?” The text isn’t very clear on this. But, John’s recollection that Jesus himself had said, “A prophet has no honor in his own hometown” may give us an indication. Perhaps, this was John’s way of saying, that the people who had known Jesus all their life might have a difficult time believing that he is God’s Son. So, Jesus gave them evidence. He demonstrated more than once that he could do things no mere man could do. As we will see later in this book, Jesus points to the need for multiple witnesses to validate evidence of a truth. Therefore, he is providing multiple “witnesses” to his power and authority and by working more than one miracle he prevents any reasonable challenge that the first sign was a trick or a coincidence.

Moving on to the main part of this story, we learn that a man hears that Jesus is in Cana and he leaves Capenaum (in Galilee) to entreat Jesus to come to his home in order to heal the man’s dying son. Jesus responds in verse 48,  “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” Isn’t this a bit harsh? Does he have something against this man? What is happening is that while John records Jesus responding to the man, Jesus is actually indicting the crowd for needing a sign in order to believe. We know this because both occurrences of “you” in verse 48 are in the plural form; “unless you (all) see signs and wonders you (all) will not believe.”  The Samaritans believed his word, but not his own people. Does that remind you of John 1; “He came unto his own. But, his own did not receive him?” There is a principle here that it is better to believe without needing signs and wonders than believing by them. 

It’s an indictment against the people and it’s a challenge for the father whose son is dying. Yet, the man does not waver. In fact, I believe like the Samaritan woman, he demonstrates a little bit of faith. He simply replies, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” He demonstrates faith that Jesus is able to heal his son without Jesus actually having done it yet. Just like with the Samaritan woman, Jesus is now going to lead him farther into faith. He says, “Go! Your son will live.” John records that the man believed him and obeyed Jesus by beginning his journey home. The next day his workers met him and gave him the good news that the fever had left his son. When he inquired exactly when it began, he understood that it was the same hour that Jesus told him that his son would live. This awareness further confirmed the man’s faith and engendered faith among his household members as well. He understood that Jesus wasn’t a lucky guesser, or even someone with a special foresight. This was evidence that Jesus, the Word of God, could speak and instantly restore life and health from any distance. Jesus was so much more than he’d imagined. 

Sometimes God does things in people’s lives that seem to indicate His presence and power. But, God is calling us to trust Jesus by his word. Have you done that? Have you said to God, “God, I’m trusting you that Jesus is your one true Son, that you sent him into this world to show us who you are, that he died for our disobedient actions against you, and that you raised him from the dead giving us hope that he can and will someday speak as he did for this boy, and we who’ve had faith in him will be fully healed; even if we’ve already died. 

This sign demonstrates God’s patience to the feebleness of humans and our weak faith. It demonstrates his compassion and love. And it demonstrates his power is so great that even if Jesus isn’t physically present with us as he was with these people in Cana, he can speak and God’s actions are effective immediately.

Episode 22 - The Word Spoke and the Water Became Wine

John 2:1-11

 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

John 2:6   Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

In this episode, the author presents to us the first of seven “signs” or miracles that he will record in the first half of this book. In fact, some scholars like to refer to the first half of John as  “The Book of Signs.” There is so much in this one sign that could be written about. But, my objective is not for you to see every little thing in this book. My desire, first of all, is that people will attain the objective clearly stated by the author in John 20:31. Secondly, I hope that I can guide you through some practices such as identifying key terms and ideas through literary repetition so that you might discover things that I haven’t seen yet. Finally, I hope that through this exercise, you will see the richness of this book and the Scriptures as a whole so that it will encourage your faith. With that said, let me break down this story into the sequence of events so that you can see something that I think is very exciting.

Background: In John’s prologue, I directed your attention to the theme of Creation, right? Not only did the author begin his book with the words “In the beginning . . .”, which begin the Creation account in Genesis 1, he also employs the Greek word for “to become or to be created”  nine times in John’s prologue alone. In John 1:3 he is speaking about “the Word” which was with God and was God and he says, “Not one thing that has been created has been created apart from him.” There should be no question in the reader’s mind that the author wants to tell us about someone who is “the Word” and that the Word was involved in every part of Creation.

Setting for this “sign” - Jesus, the person John finally told us is the Word, is at a wedding celebration with some of his disciples. His mother also is there and has some measure of responsibility or concern for the hospitality at this celebration because they’ve run out of wine before the celebration is over. This would be like my family inviting people over for a party and us not having enough food for everyone. We would be embarrassed. Jesus’ mother is concerned and expects Jesus to do something about it. Jesus’ response is not disrespectful to her. Its purpose is to help us understand that Jesus has a higher purpose and that his duty is to One higher than even his own mother.

The “Sign” - The key moment is when she says to the workers, “Do whatever he tells you!” Who is he? He is the Word of God. Whatever the Word says, they are to obey. So, what happens?

The Word spoke, “Fill the jars with water!” 

Side note: John mentions there were six jars used for cleansing. How many days did God take to create the world according to Genesis? Coincidence?

The workers responded by filling them to the brim. 

What did the Word do next? He spoke again. “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” The workers complied.

John mentions in verse 9 that the master of the feast had tasted the water that had “become” wine. Why is this important? The verb translated “become” is from the Greek word transliterated “ginomai;” meaning “to become or be created.” Coincidence?

What happens next? Look at verse 10. The master of the feast proclaims that this wine which has just been created is “good.” 

Summarizing this, we have:

1. The Word spoke

2. The wine was created

3. The wine was pronounced “good.” 

John is showing us evidence that Jesus had the same authority and power exhibited by God in the Creation account of Genesis. Each day of creation God spoke, it was created, and He pronounced it good.

Coincidence? In verse 11 John tells us that this sign was when Jesus first manifested his glory. 

The point that John wants us to understand is that Jesus, even having “become flesh,” still had his power and glory. He was never less God.