Written by: Paul Niemiec
John 1 v 47-51
As Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said, “Here is truly
an Israelite. There is nothing false in him.”
Nathanael asked, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered, “I saw you when you were under the fig tree, before Philip
told you about me.”
Then Nathanael said to Jesus, “Teacher, you are the Son of God; you are
the King of Israel.”
Jesus said to Nathanael, “Do you believe simply because I told you I saw
you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than that.” And Jesus
said to them, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open
and ‘angels of God going up and coming down’ on the Son of Man.”
Notes
Nathaniel was seen/chosen by Jesus.
He saw the word - that’s Jesus.
He heard the word - that’s Jesus.
He recognised the word- that’s Jesus.
He developed a relationship with the word - that’s Jesus.
He was promised heaven by and through the word - that’s Jesus.
See, Hear, Know, Love, Go!
Nathaniel=YES
You? - How's your hearing and seeing and recognition?
I guess for all of us it's pretty difficult, without the help of God's Holy
Spirit, but the good news is that it was the Spirit within Jesus that made
him who he was and that he calls us to invite the same Spirit into ourselves.
Jesus called Nathaniel and he responded because he understood who was doing
the calling, he was ready, willing and able and because of that became empowered.
Jesus is calling. Now it’s your call; you've seen and heard what Nathaniel did, Jesus loves you every bit as much as he loved Nathaniel, he longs for you and everyone else to respond. He always loves each one of us so much that he gives us the choice, only whilst we are making up our minds sin can take hold and make our decision harder and harder. So maybe today or very soon will come your Nathaniel moment. Jesus is calling - your call?
Prayer
Thanks Jesus for calling. Help me know who’s calling - that it’s
you I’m hearing - that it’s you. How I can know you better, love
you more and go where you’re calling me? HELP PLEASE. Amen
John 2 v 1-5
Two days later there was a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother
was there, and Jesus and his followers were also invited to the wedding. When
all the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no
more wine.”
Jesus answered, “Dear woman, why come to me? My time has not yet come.”
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you to do.”
Notes
Mary, wow what a babe (no not that sort!). She was around 14/15 when Jesus
was born and prayed one of the greatest prayers of all time. Now she’s
around 40 and still has NO DOUBTS, he’s the man, he’s God, he’ll
do it do as he says. she knows. She’s filled with God’s Holy
Spirit, in just the way that he longs for us to be filled.
It’s never easy to be sure, I’ve loads of questions for God when I get to heaven, but there again I’ll bet he’s got a few for me. But Mary didn’t question - she had faith, not blind faith, she knew Jesus - we have to try to know him too. Mary needed his help; so do we. We don’t pray to Mary but it’s good to pray and live in her wonderful, grace-filled example.
She did not have an easy life, baby born in a barn, refugee, a least one more child, probably lost her husband fairly early on, saw her son criticised, pilloried, abused, whipped and crucified. Yet through it all her faith is clear. It’s not easy to be a Christian. Mary didn’t kid herself, neither should we.
Prayer
Father God, you chose Mary, you choose me. She knew and trusted Jesus; help
me to do the same. And, having checked out that it’s Jesus, may I also
learn to do as he says, and share in the best wine, Jesus Christ himself.
Amen
John 2 v 6-11
In that place there were six stone water jars that the Jews used in their washing
ceremony. Each jar held about twenty or thirty gallons.
Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So they
filled the jars to the top.
Then he said to them, “Now take some out and give it to the master of
the feast.”
So they took the water to the master. When he tasted it, the water had become
wine. He did not know where the wine came from, but the servants who had brought
the water knew. The master of the wedding called the bridegroom and said to
him, “People always serve the best wine first. Later, after the guests
have been drinking awhile, they serve the cheaper wine. But you have saved
the best wine till now.”
So in Cana of Galilee Jesus did his first miracle. There he showed his glory,
and his followers believed in him.
Notes
Coke/Pepsi/ a store’s own-brand, diet/light/caffeine-free/full taste
- I can tell the difference! I’ve been tested and I think I can tell
the best! You name it - chocolate, burgers, potato chips, ice cream sundaes,
sticky toffee puddings - you know all the really important food groupings.
This Master had bossed loads of weddings, he had drunk the best and the rest, he could call it! This was an expert; he really knew the best when he tasted it.
He knew that everyone served the best first - impress the in-laws, the neighbours, friends - then once they’re tired or perhaps had a deal of the best, serve the rubbish and save some cash.
So the best had been and gone - now for the dross he must have thought.
This was water! It became the best of the best through Jesus and the servants. Uninvited, lowly and poor, they were the first to know and recognise who he was and what he could do to make the ordinary extra-ordinary. The difference IS Jesus, the best IS Jesus, he takes the everyday and makes the everyday special - very special - as only he can.
You choose, but please don’t give up on the best - Jesus. He won’t give up on you.
Prayer
Jesus, you did this - thanks, do the same today. We who feel ordinary, poor,
servants, lowly and ordinary – water-like. May we be transformed by
you the living water, extra-ordinary - THE REAL THING. May others see us
living for and through you and see THE BEST, with your help please, thanks.
Amen
John 2 v 12-17
After this, Jesus went to the town of Capernaum with his mother, brothers,
and followers. They stayed there for just a few days. When it was almost
time for the Jewish Passover Feast, Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the Temple
he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves. He saw others sitting at
tables, exchanging different kinds of money. Jesus made a whip out of cords
and forced all of them, both the sheep and cattle, to leave the Temple. He
turned over the tables and scattered the money of those who were exchanging
it. Then he said to those who were selling pigeons, “Take these things
out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a place for buying
and selling!”
When this happened, the followers remembered what was written in the Scriptures: “My
strong love for your Temple completely controls me.”
Notes
I guess the folks in Jerusalem thought all in the Temple was OK, until Jesus
showed up, and put things straight.
What in your life, and mine, might we think is OK until Jesus shows up?
Habits, money use, private stuff in our thoughts, relationships, lies, sex, drugs or language.
Jesus showed up for all sorts of people doing stuff he had to put them straight
on. How do you measure? We ALL fall short, but there are things that can be
done:-
What does Jesus say? - see the Bible. What direction does he give – see
the Bible. What does Jesus do? - see the Bible.
On the other hand, what does the world say? Use people, abuse people, look out for number one. Mine, mine, mine. You name it. The world says through the TV and advertising we SHOULD/MUST have it - at whose cost? The world is in a mess because people’s values have been screwed up by their sin and the sin of others - just the same as Jesus’ day. Jesus doesn’t speak into modern day situations, says the unbeliever. OH YES HE DOES! The trouble is, just like during his days as a human on earth, the power people don’t want to hear it. I wonder why not?
Prayer
Father God, please give me a hand to be straight with you. I know it may make
me unstraight with others and I’ll need help. So please help me and
others who try to let Jesus show up in our lives and in the world today.
Thanks - owe you! Amen
John 2 v 18-25
The Jews said to Jesus, “Show us a miracle to prove you have the right
to do these things.”
Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will build it again
in three days.”
The Jews answered, “It took forty-six years to build this Temple! Do
you really believe you can build it again in three days?”
(But the temple Jesus meant was his own body. After Jesus was raised from the
dead, his followers remembered that Jesus had said this. Then they believed
the Scripture and the words Jesus had said.)
When Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast, many people believed in
him because they saw the miracles he did. But Jesus did not trust himself to
them because he knew them all. He did not need anyone to tell him about people,
because he knew what was in people’s minds.
Notes
Jesus knew, and knows the people - that’s you and me.
Jesus knew, and knows Scripture - that’s our Bible.
Jesus knew, and knows the place of worship - that’s our Churches.
Jesus knew and knows about himself - that’s our Saviour.
Jesus knew and knows the power of God’s Holy Spirit - so can you.
Jesus knew and knows the love of God the Father - so can you.
But what about you? What do you really know about? God’s people, God’s word, God’s Church, God’s Son.
What do you know? There’s always more to know, to learn, to experience, to share, to be part of, and to be empowered to do.
3 days/46 years/your life-time, both now and for however long it may run. Hopefully into eternal life/ancient history/at the creation/in the end - Jesus knew and knows it all, and longs for it all to be good - just like him.
Not always easy - see Jesus. Not always fun - see Jesus. Not always without pain - see Jesus. But always with God and in God and through God - see Jesus.
Prayer
Father God, root me firmly in your Church, feed me massively with your word,
inspire me hugely through your Church and most of all help me to know your
son my Saviour Jesus. Let me be empowered by your Spirit as he was, to be
the fullness of the person you would have me be as your child and inheritor
of your kingdom along with all those others who, with me, choose to become
Children of God, thanks. Amen
John 3 v 1-4
There was a man named Nicodemus who was one of the Pharisees and an important
Jewish leader. One night Nicodemus came to Jesus and said, “Teacher,
we know you are a teacher sent from God, because no one can do the miracles
you do unless God is with him.”
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, unless one is born again, he cannot
be in God’s kingdom.”
Nicodemus said, “But if a person is already old, how can he be born again?
He cannot enter his mother’s body again. So how can a person be born
a second time?”
Notes
Hey, we’ve all tried SIN and guess what? IT DOESN’T WORK!
So how about starting again and with Jesus’ help having a new go? Sure we’ll still mess up but surely it’s gotta be better than so much more of this - anger, violence, hatred, greed, lust, vengeance, murder, lies, stealing, bullying, blasphemy - I could go on but you know what I’m talking about. The Bible calls it all SINS and it DON’T WORK - tried it, been there, T-shirt didn’t fit (they never do on me - one size fits all - another lie - God knows us and loves us as individuals, not customers or card numbers).
It’s the very basics that are wrong so it’s right back to the beginning - values, truth, understanding - you name it and it ain’t gonna be easy.
Old Nicodemus thought he knew most of it already, to be told “start again from scratch”. He was a big man in religion, a real hitter, mover and shaker.
Subtle, Jesus was not! What might that mean for you?
Which bits of you, and your life, might Jesus want/need to start again with?
Hey, don’t worry, he loves you to bits! Some of the stuff, well he could live without it. You? He thinks you’re the tops, not all you do or say, but you, he loves.
Prayer
Jesus you know me, I’m not perfect by far. Help me to come like Nicodemus,
to listen and to respond as you would have me do. Born again is a big call,
I’m going to need loads of help please. And thank you. Amen
John 3 v 5-8
But Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, unless one is born from water
and the Spirit, he cannot enter God’s kingdom. Human life comes from
human parents, but spiritual life comes from the Spirit. Don’t be surprised
when I tell you, ‘You must all be born again.’ The wind blows where
it wants to and you hear the sound of it, but you don’t know where the
wind comes from or where it is going. It is the same with every person who
is born from the Spirit.”
Notes
Most times you can’t see the wind, but its effects are very clear. The
external changes it makes happen can give us cause to change our thoughts,
lives and actions. See the outcome of hurricanes - broken homes, buildings
and places make people think, act and respond differently to “normal.”
Reverse!
Now you can’t see God’s Spirit, he works INTERNALLY, but the GOOD effects should be there for all to see EXTERNALLY. Hurricanes may cause a similar effect for a few weeks or months but soon normality, SIN, returns. What we need is people who are permanently changed on the inside by God’s power rather than on the outside, temporarily, by the wind.
New birth/baptism should be seen by outward signs of God’s inward grace.
OR, if you like, people should know that we are Christians by our love and its outworking.
A little wind may not make much difference, but pray for God’s spirit and it’s mega-size every time. But it’s your choice. God, unlike some winds, only rebirths where there is a willingness.
Prayer
Spirit of the Living God, enter me afresh, birth me, change me, empower me
to be the person that you would have me be. Not for a moment or even a few
days or weeks, like the effect of a storm, but rather for all of my life,
and in all areas of my life. Then let others see you through me, that they
too might know you as life master, Father and friend. Amen
The views expressed by the writers of our daily e-mails are not necessarily those of Church Army or word-on-the-web but of the individual writers.
word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993 by Word Publishing Milton Keynes