Read Jeremiah 21
Read John 15
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The Way, The Truth, The Life
Read Jeremiah 20 Read John 14 A wonderful hymn will be used for our additional meditation today: You are the way; through You alone Can we the Father find; In You, O Christ, has God revealed His heart and will and mind. You are the truth; Your Word alone True wisdom can impart; You only can inform the mind And purify the heart. You are the life; the empty tomb Proclaims Your conqu’ring arm, And those who put their trust in You Not death nor hell shall harm. You are the way, the truth, the life; Grant us that way to know, That truth to keep, that life to win Whose joys eternal flow. (LSB 526, Public Domain) Study with me tomorrow, Pastor Jon Soli Deo Gloria!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Read Jeremiah 16
Read John 10
Words of a hymn for our meditation today:
Read John 10
Words of a hymn for our meditation today:
The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never,
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine forever.
Where streams of living water flow
My ransomed soul He leadeth,
And where the verdant pastures grow,
With food celestial feedeth.
Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love He sought me,
And on His shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me.
In death’s dark vale I fear no ill
With Thee, dear Lord, beside me;
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy cross before to guide me.
Thou spread’st a table in my sight;
Thy unction grace bestoweth;
And O what transport of delight
From Thy pure chalice floweth!
And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise
Within Thy house forever.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Claimed to be God
Read Jeremiah 14
Read John 8
I've read in places that some people are convinced that Jesus never claims to be God in the Bible, but it is only his followers that assign that status to him. I think these people have never read John 8, or just outright reject it. Here and elsewhere in John (like chapter 5, for example), Jesus makes it abundantly clear that he is God.
Even if someone might not understand what Jesus is saying, they can understand that the people of his day knew what he was claiming. They weren't going to stone him for no reason, folks! They understood he was claiming to be God. And they didn't agree with the claim. In their minds, it was blasphemy, an offense against God worthy of death.
Yes, Jesus repeatedly claims his divinity, saying over and over, "I AM HE" - a phrase reminiscent of God's revelation to himself to Moses in Exodus 3 "I AM WHO I AM" or "I AM" for short. And at the very end of chapter 8, when the people stoop down to pick up stones, Jesus had said, "Before Abraham was, I AM." Here Jesus claims to have existed even before Abraham. And not just that, but the use of the present form of to be (I AM) is a claim that he is eternal. Yes, here is the Great I AM, the one who was and is and is to come. Jesus is Yahweh! Yahweh is the personal name that God reveals in the Old Testament (like in Exodus 3 to Moses, for example). Yahweh is a word closely related to the verb "to be." He is the one who is.
Yes, Jesus most definitely is claiming to be God here. And what kind of a God? A God who speaks a stern warning: "I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I
AM HE you will die in your sins" (v. 24). What stronger warning do we need from the Eternal God, Creator of All, Judge of the Living and the Dead?
What kind of a God? We can be sure that he is also a merciful God! "If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death" (v. 51). "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (v. 12). "If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death" (v. 52).
Yes, this is a merciful God who in love is willing to go to the cross and sacrifice his own weak, human flesh for us. God dies for us. And rises that we might have eternal life. Let us rejoice, and hear the words he spoke to the adulterous woman also in our ears, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more" (v. 11).
Thanks be to God!
Pray:
O Lord, be merciful to me, a poor sinful being. Thank you for making me a new person through Baptism. Now make me your light in the world. Grant that I may remain faithful to your Word until my last hour. Amen.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Read John 8
I've read in places that some people are convinced that Jesus never claims to be God in the Bible, but it is only his followers that assign that status to him. I think these people have never read John 8, or just outright reject it. Here and elsewhere in John (like chapter 5, for example), Jesus makes it abundantly clear that he is God.
Even if someone might not understand what Jesus is saying, they can understand that the people of his day knew what he was claiming. They weren't going to stone him for no reason, folks! They understood he was claiming to be God. And they didn't agree with the claim. In their minds, it was blasphemy, an offense against God worthy of death.
Yes, Jesus repeatedly claims his divinity, saying over and over, "I AM HE" - a phrase reminiscent of God's revelation to himself to Moses in Exodus 3 "I AM WHO I AM" or "I AM" for short. And at the very end of chapter 8, when the people stoop down to pick up stones, Jesus had said, "Before Abraham was, I AM." Here Jesus claims to have existed even before Abraham. And not just that, but the use of the present form of to be (I AM) is a claim that he is eternal. Yes, here is the Great I AM, the one who was and is and is to come. Jesus is Yahweh! Yahweh is the personal name that God reveals in the Old Testament (like in Exodus 3 to Moses, for example). Yahweh is a word closely related to the verb "to be." He is the one who is.
Yes, Jesus most definitely is claiming to be God here. And what kind of a God? A God who speaks a stern warning: "I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I
AM HE you will die in your sins" (v. 24). What stronger warning do we need from the Eternal God, Creator of All, Judge of the Living and the Dead?
What kind of a God? We can be sure that he is also a merciful God! "If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death" (v. 51). "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (v. 12). "If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death" (v. 52).
Yes, this is a merciful God who in love is willing to go to the cross and sacrifice his own weak, human flesh for us. God dies for us. And rises that we might have eternal life. Let us rejoice, and hear the words he spoke to the adulterous woman also in our ears, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more" (v. 11).
Thanks be to God!
Pray:
O Lord, be merciful to me, a poor sinful being. Thank you for making me a new person through Baptism. Now make me your light in the world. Grant that I may remain faithful to your Word until my last hour. Amen.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
What Kind of Christ?
Read Jeremiah 13
Read John 7
It is easy for us Bible-believers to look back at some of the first century Jews (especially the religious leaders - the scribes and pharisees) and point out that they were looking for the wrong kind of Christ. Yes, Jesus is the long-prophesied, long-anticipated Messiah, but many couldn't see it. In fact, they outright rejected him and wanted to kill him, as we hear about in John 7 today.
It is easy for us to see it and point it out. However, it is much harder for us to admit that sometimes we get far too comfortable with some misconceptions about Christ.
Now, let's not go too far with this. I am not saying that the Christian Church is wrong about Christ, or that there is some sort of conspiracy, or that we are putting our faith in the wrong person. -- Nothing like that! What I merely want to point out is that because of our sinful nature it is very difficult for us to accept all of what Christ teaches. Just like the religious leaders in the temple had a great problem with what Jesus was saying (though they were prevented at the time from doing anything about it), we too sometimes have a problem with Christ -- because of our sin.
Examples? We may not like what Jesus says about how we handle our money, or acceptable or unacceptable sexuality, or how we treat a brother or sister in Christ, or how we address and handle conflict, or where we place our priorities, etc.
What is it that Jesus says (or what is said elsewhere in the Bible) that gives you problems? I don't mean that you don't believe it, but I mean that it is insanely difficult to live by it. Take some time to think about that today.
Then, confessing your struggles and your sins, remember that this Jesus is a more incredible Christ than we could ever have imagined. Because being so much more than a political power or a self-help guru, this is a Christ who died for us. While we were sinners, still lost and condemned, still enemies of God and deserving of the doom that awaited, Christ died for us. He died for those Pharisees who hated him and wanted to kill him. He died for his disciples. He died for people near and far in time and space. He died for me. He died for you.
So, even though in sin you constantly struggle with the commands of Christ, you can still rejoice abundantly in God's undeserved grace!
Pray:
Pray from your heart today concerning the thoughts, struggles, and joys that come to mind because of our meditation today. Ask Christ to forgive and continually strengthen you as you live for him!
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Read John 7
It is easy for us Bible-believers to look back at some of the first century Jews (especially the religious leaders - the scribes and pharisees) and point out that they were looking for the wrong kind of Christ. Yes, Jesus is the long-prophesied, long-anticipated Messiah, but many couldn't see it. In fact, they outright rejected him and wanted to kill him, as we hear about in John 7 today.
It is easy for us to see it and point it out. However, it is much harder for us to admit that sometimes we get far too comfortable with some misconceptions about Christ.
Now, let's not go too far with this. I am not saying that the Christian Church is wrong about Christ, or that there is some sort of conspiracy, or that we are putting our faith in the wrong person. -- Nothing like that! What I merely want to point out is that because of our sinful nature it is very difficult for us to accept all of what Christ teaches. Just like the religious leaders in the temple had a great problem with what Jesus was saying (though they were prevented at the time from doing anything about it), we too sometimes have a problem with Christ -- because of our sin.
Examples? We may not like what Jesus says about how we handle our money, or acceptable or unacceptable sexuality, or how we treat a brother or sister in Christ, or how we address and handle conflict, or where we place our priorities, etc.
What is it that Jesus says (or what is said elsewhere in the Bible) that gives you problems? I don't mean that you don't believe it, but I mean that it is insanely difficult to live by it. Take some time to think about that today.
Then, confessing your struggles and your sins, remember that this Jesus is a more incredible Christ than we could ever have imagined. Because being so much more than a political power or a self-help guru, this is a Christ who died for us. While we were sinners, still lost and condemned, still enemies of God and deserving of the doom that awaited, Christ died for us. He died for those Pharisees who hated him and wanted to kill him. He died for his disciples. He died for people near and far in time and space. He died for me. He died for you.
So, even though in sin you constantly struggle with the commands of Christ, you can still rejoice abundantly in God's undeserved grace!
Pray:
Pray from your heart today concerning the thoughts, struggles, and joys that come to mind because of our meditation today. Ask Christ to forgive and continually strengthen you as you live for him!
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Bread of Life
Read Jeremiah 12
Read John 6
Wow! A miraculous provision of food from so many people! Certainly it must have been amazing to see Jesus take 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and feed 5,000 men, and additional women and children too! And to have some left over!
No wonder the crowd was amazed. Surely we too would have reacted as they did. We can easily relate to their desire to make Jesus king.
But the problem is, Jesus desires to be more than just a bread machine, and more than just a political and societal power. To put it on human terms - the crowd was thinking small, but Jesus was thinking much bigger.
Jesus didn't just want to be a bread machine because he already was (and still is) the very bread of life. He tells us that he is "bread" come down from heaven. He says some amazing things, like, "Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (v. 54).
This is a difficult teaching for the people to accept, and so some stop following him. Peter points out, however, that Jesus has words of eternal life. This is why to this day we cherish the words of Jesus, and all the Scriptures--that is, the whole Bible, God's Word.
Now, there is some debate in Lutheran circles whether John 6 refers specifically to Holy Communion or not. If it does, we have some complications with v. 53 (surely, someone who hasn't communed isn't automatically condemned!) But on the other hand, believing what Scripture says about Holy Communion elsewhere, we see that so much of John 6 fits beautifully.
Maybe the key to understanding this is when Jesus says that the "work" God requires of us is to believe in the One he has sent, namely, Jesus (v. 29). You see, by faith we partake of Jesus, the Bread of Life. By faith we rejoice to hear God's gracious promises and trust in his mercy, goodness, and strength every day. And then, when we approach the table of the Lord's Supper we certainly eat and drink the body and blood of the Lord in an even more literal way. Surely we can take comfort in the words "Given and shed for you, for the forgiveness of sins."
We don't need Jesus to be a bread machine king, because he is so much more. Certainly he provides for all the needs of this body and life, but even more importantly, he gives us the food of eternal life! How can we not rejoice and find great comfort in these words that we hear/read again: "55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the breadc]">[c] the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever."
Thanks be to God!
Ask Yourself:
Do I, by my life or my prayers, treat Jesus as if he were a mere bread machine?
Do I trust Jesus to provide for the needs of the body? Of the soul?
Pray:
Lord Jesus Christ, Bread of Life, we give you thanks and praise this day that you became obedient to death, even death on the cross, and by dying you gave your body and shed your blood for us. Help us to repent of our sins and find comfort in your gracious promises, that we might partake of your body and blood and have life everlasting. Amen.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Read John 6
Wow! A miraculous provision of food from so many people! Certainly it must have been amazing to see Jesus take 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and feed 5,000 men, and additional women and children too! And to have some left over!
No wonder the crowd was amazed. Surely we too would have reacted as they did. We can easily relate to their desire to make Jesus king.
But the problem is, Jesus desires to be more than just a bread machine, and more than just a political and societal power. To put it on human terms - the crowd was thinking small, but Jesus was thinking much bigger.
Jesus didn't just want to be a bread machine because he already was (and still is) the very bread of life. He tells us that he is "bread" come down from heaven. He says some amazing things, like, "Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (v. 54).
This is a difficult teaching for the people to accept, and so some stop following him. Peter points out, however, that Jesus has words of eternal life. This is why to this day we cherish the words of Jesus, and all the Scriptures--that is, the whole Bible, God's Word.
Now, there is some debate in Lutheran circles whether John 6 refers specifically to Holy Communion or not. If it does, we have some complications with v. 53 (surely, someone who hasn't communed isn't automatically condemned!) But on the other hand, believing what Scripture says about Holy Communion elsewhere, we see that so much of John 6 fits beautifully.
Maybe the key to understanding this is when Jesus says that the "work" God requires of us is to believe in the One he has sent, namely, Jesus (v. 29). You see, by faith we partake of Jesus, the Bread of Life. By faith we rejoice to hear God's gracious promises and trust in his mercy, goodness, and strength every day. And then, when we approach the table of the Lord's Supper we certainly eat and drink the body and blood of the Lord in an even more literal way. Surely we can take comfort in the words "Given and shed for you, for the forgiveness of sins."
We don't need Jesus to be a bread machine king, because he is so much more. Certainly he provides for all the needs of this body and life, but even more importantly, he gives us the food of eternal life! How can we not rejoice and find great comfort in these words that we hear/read again: "55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the breadc]">[c] the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever."
Thanks be to God!
Ask Yourself:
Do I, by my life or my prayers, treat Jesus as if he were a mere bread machine?
Do I trust Jesus to provide for the needs of the body? Of the soul?
Pray:
Lord Jesus Christ, Bread of Life, we give you thanks and praise this day that you became obedient to death, even death on the cross, and by dying you gave your body and shed your blood for us. Help us to repent of our sins and find comfort in your gracious promises, that we might partake of your body and blood and have life everlasting. Amen.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Friday, March 18, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Expensive Grace
Ok, so apparently I am very human (not that any of us had any doubt about that!) and have not been diligent in posting thoughts on this Bible study tool. I pray you all are continuing to read the Word daily even if I don't post some thoughts. But here I go with renewed effort in the hopes that it will be beneficial to myself, if not to 1 or 2 other people...
Read Jeremiah 7
Read John 1
In Jeremiah 7 we have a very strong rebuke against willfully continuing in sin. It is an appropriate warning to hear in this penitential season of Lent. God cries out through the prophet to the people of his day and also to us, "Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, 'We are delivered!'— only to go on doing all these abominations?" (v. 9-10)
That's a challenging question for us. Especially we regular church goers. It's easy to go to church every Sunday, hear God's forgiveness, and not go through all the "work" of examination and repentance. And worse than a lack of preparation before worship is a lack of follow-through afterward. The forgiving grace of God is our most precious possession, but we cheapen it when we treat it so casually that we would continue on in all the sin that sent our Savior to the cross.
As we begin now also reading through the book of John, we see in the beginning of the Gospel that John the Baptist clearly points out Jesus as the Messiah. But what kind of Messiah would this be? This is the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). This Jesus is the spotless Lamb, without defect or blemish, who would bear the guilt of our sins, and would be slaughtered for us. And the blood of Jesus cleanses us from every sin (1 John 1:7).
Let's not cheapen grace by willfully continuing on in sin. For we are purchased and won from death and the devil, not with gold or silver, but with Jesus' holy, precious blood and his innocent suffering and death!
Ask Yourself:
Do I continue on stealing, hating, committing adultery, swearing falsely, worshiping and trusting other things above God?
How can I better develop a habit of repenting and amending my sinful life?
How wide and how deep is my Savior's love for me? Enough to cover all my faults?
Pray:
Lord Jesus, I know your blood cleanses all my sin. I admit I need that forgiveness because I am sinful and unclean, sinning in my thoughts, words, and deeds. I thank you, Lamb of God, that you shed your blood for me, that I might be your own and live under you in your Kingdom. Help me, I pray, by the power of your Spirit, to turn from all sin in my life, which is destructive, and instead to live for your glory and praise. Amen.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Read Jeremiah 7
Read John 1
In Jeremiah 7 we have a very strong rebuke against willfully continuing in sin. It is an appropriate warning to hear in this penitential season of Lent. God cries out through the prophet to the people of his day and also to us, "Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, 'We are delivered!'— only to go on doing all these abominations?" (v. 9-10)
That's a challenging question for us. Especially we regular church goers. It's easy to go to church every Sunday, hear God's forgiveness, and not go through all the "work" of examination and repentance. And worse than a lack of preparation before worship is a lack of follow-through afterward. The forgiving grace of God is our most precious possession, but we cheapen it when we treat it so casually that we would continue on in all the sin that sent our Savior to the cross.
As we begin now also reading through the book of John, we see in the beginning of the Gospel that John the Baptist clearly points out Jesus as the Messiah. But what kind of Messiah would this be? This is the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). This Jesus is the spotless Lamb, without defect or blemish, who would bear the guilt of our sins, and would be slaughtered for us. And the blood of Jesus cleanses us from every sin (1 John 1:7).
Let's not cheapen grace by willfully continuing on in sin. For we are purchased and won from death and the devil, not with gold or silver, but with Jesus' holy, precious blood and his innocent suffering and death!
Ask Yourself:
Do I continue on stealing, hating, committing adultery, swearing falsely, worshiping and trusting other things above God?
How can I better develop a habit of repenting and amending my sinful life?
How wide and how deep is my Savior's love for me? Enough to cover all my faults?
Pray:
Lord Jesus, I know your blood cleanses all my sin. I admit I need that forgiveness because I am sinful and unclean, sinning in my thoughts, words, and deeds. I thank you, Lamb of God, that you shed your blood for me, that I might be your own and live under you in your Kingdom. Help me, I pray, by the power of your Spirit, to turn from all sin in my life, which is destructive, and instead to live for your glory and praise. Amen.
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
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