Easter

I kind of hit a burn out period there.  I just had too many things going at the same time.  Today is Easter, a good time for new beginnings.  God willing, I'll restart a devotion schedule starting tomorrow.

Life Through the Son

John 5:16-30

It is really easy to question God's judgment.  He's all powerful; he can solve any problem with a snap of his fingers.  He's never had to decide how he was going to find the money to pay the rent that month.  Situational ethics is just part of being human, as we weigh choices and perform cost benefit analyses.

So God gave the Son "authority to judge because he is the Son of Man."  Since Jesus was fully man as well as God, he can judge all mankind because he suffered the same woes and problems as humanity at large.  All of the complaints of the unfairness of God's universe become mere blowing into the wind.  God knows what we suffer and more.  He knows what we are capable of enduring, and he is fully competent to judge us when we fail to make any effort to fulfill the role of our creation: to be the image of God in creation.

The Healing at the Pool

John 5:1-15

In this account, the man who is healed is at first grateful for his healing and does precisely as instructed: He picks up his mat and walks away.  But when he is confronted by the authorities, he becomes defensive and apprehensive.  When Jesus further tells him to reform his life, he quickly informs the authorities about Jesus.

How many people desire the healing of Christ, but fear persecution and refuse reformation?  They want following Christ to be easy, without challenge.  They want God to lower the standards bar and accept them with their sin.  Unfortunately, although God accepts us as sinners, that does not mean that he accepts our sin with us.  Sadly, many are lost because they refuse to take the steps to follow Christ and want the rewards without the commitment.

Jesus Heals the Official's Son

John 4:43-54

According to the account of John, the first healing that Jesus performed involved an extraordinary act of faith.  Jesus was not even present to the sick boy!  The father took his word entirely on faith.  At this point, we must remember that Jesus' ministry was a teaching ministry, not a healing ministry.  It is with some despair that he says, "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you will never believe."  In this account of healing, however, we see a model of faith.

Many Samaritans Believe

John 4:39-42

Purely on the woman's testimony (and she not of a high standing), many of her townspeople believed in Jesus.  Upon coming to Jesus and listening to him teach, they came to full faith that he was the Saviour.  Yet sadly today, so many in the Church, when hearing of a miracle in the life of a fellow Christian, are skeptical, coming up with rational, scientific answers, and refusing to give glory to God.

The Disciples Rejoin Jesus

John 4:27-38

The disciples were deeply suspicious and somewhat jealous of this Samaritan woman with whom they found Jesus speaking.  They kept their counsel to themselves, but Jesus knew what was in their hearts.  He responded cryptically about having food of which they did not know, meaning that their ignorant reaction to the Samaritan woman had betrayed their lack of knowledge of Jesus' true mission.

How often do we try to force Jesus into a nice little box of how we expect Christianity to be?  How often do we become suspicious of others who receive salvation in ways not part of our own experience?  How often do we feel jealous to see someone receive salvation whom we feel should instead receive divine retribution?  Lord, forgive us, and guide our hearts in the way of love and charity.

Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman

John 4:1-26

The Jews were notoriously elitist toward the Samaritans, so the woman's initial repsonse was likely cynical and bitter.  Jesus' initial responses were met with sarcasm and scorn, but when Jesus unfolds the woman's marital troubles, her resolve is shaken.  She still attempts to defend herself, but Jesus now has his foot in the door and pushes it open wider.  He expounds upon true worship, bringing the woman to acknowledge the coming of the Christ before revealing that he is the Christ.  In just a few calm level responses Jesus took the woman from cynicism to faith.