Power January 27, 2008 Key Passage: John 19:1-16 Topic: Jesus; God Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin." (John 19:11, ESV)
Read the entire passage for today. Now, who you think is the most powerful person or group of people in these few verses?
The soldiers? They had weapons like lead-tipped whips that they used to beat Jesus. They put a fake crown on His head and made fun of Him.
What about the Jewish community leaders who insisted that Jesus had broken the law and must die? They were priests and other religious big shots of their time, highly respected, powerful men.
Or consider the mob of citizens who were screaming, "Crucify Him!" There's power in public opinion.
What about Pilate, the Roman governor? He was the person questioning Jesus. He even said, "Don't you realize I have the power to release you or to crucify you?"
That's when Jesus responded, "You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above." That statement coming from a battered, ridiculed, bloody prisoner (for the soldiers had already beaten Jesus) must have seemed ludicrous to Pilate. But Jesus was telling him that he (Pilate) had only the power God allowed him to have, that ultimately God orchestrates the circumstances.
God has the same power today. He is all-powerful, no matter what it looks like in the world or in your personal life. Jesus, as He stood before Pilate, didn't look like God or the Savior of the world.
Saturday, January 26, 2008, 11:19 AM EST [General]
What is Truth? Saturday January 26th 2008 Jesus John 18:28-40 "'You say that I am a king, and you are right,'" Jesus said. 'I was born for that purpose. And I came to bring truth to the world. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true'" (John 18:37, NLT).
Jesus stands before the Roman governor, awaiting His death sentence while His accusers and judges, the Pharisees and religious leaders, hang around outside. They don't want to get their hands dirty with those unclean Romans. But they're definitely willing to send the perfect, holy, innocent Son of God to His death. It just underscores Jesus' amazing statement here.
Forget being a king; forget leading a revolution and overthrowing oppressors. Jesus came to do this one thing: to bring truth to the world.
And those who love the truth will recognize Him.
What is truth? Jesus is. He is the truth, as well as the way and the life (John 14:6). He is the real thing, the authentic, reliable, faithful. He is the Word of God. He is the only "fact" or truth that matters: He gives spiritual life and apart from Him we have no hope of salvation. Without Him we are hopeless, lost, filthy, unable to even breathe for ourselves.
Truth? Jesus is truth.
And those who love the truth will recognize Him. But so many of us are more like the Pharisees and religious leaders, or even Pilate, who see Jesus and turn away. They can't handle the truth; they look everywhere else, and ignore or condemn Him because He doesn't fit their idea of truth.
If you're really searching for the truth, if you love what is true, look no further than Jesus.
Peter's Third Denial January 25, 2008 Key Passage: John 18:25-27 Topic: Jesus; Obedience/Discipleship Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed. (John 18:27, ESV)
OK, a little background info here. Just hours earlier, Peter had told Jesus, "Wherever you're going, I want to go too. I'm ready to die for you."
And Jesus was like, "Die for me? Yeah, right. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you'll deny three times that you even KNOW me."
And sure enough, as soon as Peter's third denial came out of his mouth, the rooster crowed. Ouch.
Can you imagine the heartache Peter must have felt when he heard that rooster crow, knowing Jesus had been right? That Peter's lofty declaration of loyalty had been empty and trite?
Peter always gets a bum rap because he denied Jesus. But instead of focusing on Peter, let's think for a minute about Jesus.
He knew. Jesus knew exactly what Peter would do because He knew Peter, just as He knows everything because He's omniscient. Jesus knew Peter's weaknesses and his strengths. He understood Peter's tendency to be impulsive and say stuff he couldn't always follow through on. He knew Peter better than Peter knew himself.
And you know what? The same is true for you. Jesus knows you--everything about you. What you're good at, what you need to grow in, what makes you excited and passionate, and what you struggle with. That's pretty amazing when you think about it. You have a Savior who not only loves you unconditionally, but knows you intimately and completely.
Peter didn't surprise Jesus by denying Him three times. And nothing you do surprises Jesus, either. That's how well He knows you...and He continues to accept and love you, no matter what. Hopefully that makes you want to love Him all the more.
Thursday, January 24, 2008, 09:42 AM EST [General]
Want Truth? January 24, 2008 Key Passage: John 18:19-24 Topic: Jesus; Other Jesus answered him, "If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?" (John 18:23, ESV).
"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful!" Usually someone says that with a hint of arrogance or to provoke jealousy.
And while their tone of voice can make these words malicious, it's true that a person shouldn't be hated for something they can't control, good or bad.
Hating someone because they're either extremely attractive and highly talented or unsightly and mundane, is a mistake. Natural characteristics are not a cause for punishment.
The same goes with truth. Hating or even discounting something that's true just because it doesn't line up with your agenda isn't rational. Whether or not the truth is agreeable to your lifestyle isn't the issue. The issue is knowing and accepting the truth.
Jesus made this very point after His accusers blamed Him for bold statements that claimed He was "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Getting mad at truth is a dead end. But investigating truth leads to understanding.
The claims of Christ are worth looking at. Blaming Jesus just because He conflicts with your views doesn't change the truth. Truth stands regardless of opinions.
