Writing about life, leadership, faith, and anything else I find interesting.

John 5 - Love > Law

Jesus gives life. Religion gives rules.

“Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”” - ‭‭John‬ ‭5:8-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus had compassion and love and healed a man that had had a disability for thirty-eight years.

Religion (Jewish leaders) response was not awe and worship; it was hate, anger, and persecution.

John 5:1-15 - Paralyzed Mindsets

An area that frustrates me is my ability to limit God. Yes, I look back on countless times in my life that God has come through in significant ways, ways that were entirely beyond my imagination. This honestly has happened so much that it has to lead me to claim Eph 3:20-21 as my favorite passage of Scripture.

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in…

John 4:43-54 - Get out of the way

The closing of John 4 was always a little confusing to me. v44 Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country often gets quoted, and I didn’t fully comprehend the context or what the point was. This morning, walking back through it, a few things clicked.

First, reading this in multiple translations gave me a little better grasp of the context and storyline. Taking in v43-48 in the Message was also a huge help.

John 4:28-30 - Love Modeled

Today, something in a few verses really struck me that didn’t really stand out yesterday. Let me go back to v28-30.

“Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭4:28-30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, we have the interaction with Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. Remembering, the woman came at an odd time, and she went to the well alone. This tells us something was off with her, more than…

A New Season is Upon Us

This morning I am preaching to myself as I wrestle through a “new thing!” Yesterday, we had the honor and privilege of taking our first daughter, Reia, to college. Such an exciting opportunity and phase of life for her, and we have been preparing on just about every front for this very moment. But, what I knew was coming has come. No matter how much you can “prepare” for certain things, going through them, and wrestling with the new realities is part of the process.

John 4 1-26 It is Not a Transaction

Yesterday we started John 4, and I did not get very far. Let’s go through the full interaction of Jesus and the Samaritan Woman.

“So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭4:5-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

For some context on how special this location was, let me share this with you from a commentary.

John 4:1-6 - The only way out is through

The only way out is through. I am not sure where I heard this saying, but I loved it the second I heard it. Maybe it is how I am wired as a Challenger; maybe it the pressure I feel when I listen to it. I am not sure, but it really seems like a good life statement.

Today’s powerful and well-known story jumps out at me as one of those through it moments. Let’s dive in and check it out. This is the Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well story.

John 3:22-36 - All about Jesus

For 21 years, I was chasing the things of this world, consistently feeling empty and void of purpose and meaning no matter how big my bank account was. I look back on that time now, and see these verses above in living color, this time in my life was ridden with the thief, stealing my life and leading me towards destruction. This was for me, God’s wrath remaining on me. Or in other translations it says abides and hanging over me. God desires me to have a life, and have it abundantly...and Jesus was the way. Everything points to Jesus, and it is ALL ABOUT JESUS. My eyes, heart, and mind were not open to this until my life was in the tank, near rock bottom, and I just really had nowhere else to look. I do not fully comprehend God’s wrath remaining or abiding, but I remember feeling lost, alone…

So, Jesus finished schooling and blowing Nicodemus’ mind with being born again and decides to retreat to the countryside. Before I get too far into this passage, I think the opening of this verse can and should give us some really valuable insight.

“After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭3:22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We read in these different translations, Jesus took some time, relaxed with his disciples, for a length of time, and was away. While at the same time, he was still on mission…

John 3: 1-21 - Curiosity is Critical

In four days, we take our oldest daughter, Reia, to college. Such an exciting and emotional time...it feels like yesterday she was born. I remember her birth vividly, we opted not to find out her gender, so there was so much excitement and anticipation upon her birth. When I found out we had a little girl, my heart melted. Reia was born, and our lives were never to be the same again. Now college. Wow, time flys.

Not much connection with that, and today's reading...except my daughter going to college is just about all that is on my mind. So, remembering her birth came to mind when Jesus replied to Nicodemus…