Perspective can completely change our understanding of things.

Sometimes things which we see from a distance, when approached, become much bigger than what we think. This is very much the case with the coming of Jesus Christ who, in this passage, is called the Word. We are told that ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us’ and also that all things were created by the Word.

We are further told that John the Baptist was sent to point us to Jesus who is described as a light which shines in the darkness. Jesus came to his own people, the Jews, who mostly rejected him. Some, however, received him ….. who he is ….. what he has done ….. his claim on their lives. In short, a whole new identity and reason for living.

Jesus was exposed to everything we have experienced. Would we know if God exists?…. if God is gracious? All we have to do is look to Jesus. Because he has come in the flesh we can see the seriousness of the wrong things we have done. Because he has come in the flesh He can supply, through the cross, everything we ever need.

There is a time for everything and especially for looking at things in a different way

There is a lot of pressure these days from advertising and media to consider ourselves as the most influential and important ones. In this passage we see the direct opposite of that. The disciples of John the Baptist were concerned when people started responding to Jesus’ ministry in increasing numbers. John said to them ‘He must increase, I must decrease’.

John also said that the ‘bride’ is joyful when she sees the ‘bridegroom’ arriving and identified himself as among those who were joyful at the coming of Jesus. John understood that it was only Jesus who could save people from their sins and that he would do this through dying and rising again from the dead.

There are also some very important words for us as the end of this passage. Whilst for some there will be great joy, for others there is great danger …….. ‘Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them’. The modern focus on our own importance stands in stark contrast to the vital wisdom of John.

God is love and understanding what this means transforms lives.

It has been said that this passage is the greatest piece ever written on love. What is misunderstood, however, is that it was written to inform the recipients about love within the church, in the context of the use of spiritual gifts. Without love every one of these is wasted because it is the reason that they have been given.

The use of verbs to describe love is important because it is not just a concept but an action. It is to do with how others are treated … with patience, kindness and without envy or boasting. People in the church are all on the same ‘team’ and the motive for loving others is the result of God’s first love to each believer. The message of Calvary needs to be always remembered.

The victory of an ancient king points forward to the greatest victory of all time

The Israelites were weeping because they feared having to surrender to the Ammonites who had besieged their city. King Saul hears about their situation. He comes to fight against the Ammonites and wins a great victory over them which frees the city.

The key to understanding this story is in the last 2 verses. The prophet Samuel takes the people to the city of Gilgal to ‘renew the kingdom’. We are then told that they offered sacrifices to the Lord and rejoiced. This is a reminder of the victory that Jesus has won for His people over the enemy called ‘sin’ ……  the wrong things that we think, say and do. He won this victory for believers through the sacrifice of Himself on the cross, bearing their sins in His body so they can be clothed, by faith, in the spotless garments of His righteousness.

  Easter is a time when the gospel of grace comes clearly into view

People tend to think about relationships only on a horizontal level. It is easy to become preoccupied with those around us in the various interactions we have in the home, in social activities and in the school or workplace. This passage, however, speaks about the most important relationship of our lives and one about which most are either unconcerned or are misinformed.

The apostle John records Jesus’ words for us which raise 2 questions about our relationship to God. How well do we really know him? How do we get to know him better? Jesus uses his relationship to the Father to describe his relationship with his disciples. He says “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’. And also ‘Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father’.

Jesus goes on to make a number of promises to his disciples. These include that they will work his works, that their prayers will be answered, that he will give them life, love and peace. He then goes on to tell about his authority in making these promises … that it is from the Father and from the evidence of the miraculous works he has done. The priority in our lives needs to be relationship with God. This comes through Jesus Christ … what he accomplished at the cross and through His resurrection. He is the one who leads us away from sin and self.

God’s choice, His choosing of people to believe in Jesus, is not something which, from our perspective, excludes anyone

God’s choice ….. His choosing of people to believe in Jesus ….. is not something which, from our perspective, excludes anyone. Both God’s choosing and man’s responsibility to believe are taught in the Bible. We are to hold the 2 truths together like two parallel railway lines which meet on the horizon. If you haven’t yet come to faith in Jesus Christ you are to keep seeking Him earnestly.

Remember that well known passage in John 3:16 ….. ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.’ Faith is the key …. trusting in what Jesus has accomplished for us at the cross and not anything in us to merit His favour. This way the blessings which we have received are all to His glory not our own …….  a free gift

There is more to our clothing than what we have in our wardrobes.

Clothing can be something we take for granted, especially in winter time. It is almost routine to put on a coat when we go out in the cold weather but have you ever wondered about this seemingly ordinary activity. We rug up to keep ourselves warm and to be sheltered from the elements.

One day when out walking on a particularly cold day attention turned to the coat being worn. A new found appreciation dawned because this coat had been a gift. It wasn’t expected but, at this particular time, it was very much appreciated. It was providing warmth and shelter on a day when these things made the difference between an endurance exercise and a pleasant walk.

There is an important reminder here of the gospel … the ‘good news’ of Jesus. A passage of Scripture speaks of ‘putting on the Lord Jesus Christ’. What does this mean? It means that he provides both warmth and shelter. Because of the cross people can have the warm experience, through faith, of forgiveness for the wrong things they have done. With this forgiveness comes a new relationship where he is also a shelter by having taken the punishment they deserved.

The failure of a famous king contrasted with the perfect King who is the same always

Human beings tend to be a contradiction because they often do things which are inconsistent. There was a famous king of God’s people called Hezekiah. For many years he was faithful to God in remarkable ways. He trusted in God, purged the worship of idolatry and kept God’s laws.

However, something happened in his later life after he fell terminally ill that left a stain on his reputation. He turned to one of his nation’s enemies, Babylon, in order to make a strategic alliance. In doing this he stopped trusting in God to deliver him and his people.

This is a reminder to people in these days not to look to human leaders but to the one who was completely faithful and went to the cross so that others could be saved from the contradictions in their lives. We are told that Jesus is the same ‘yesterday, today and forever’ … there is no contradiction in Him.

In stark contrast to the gospel this marketing slogan sends the wrong message because the one we get for free we have really paid for ourselves.

In this passage we see some very important things about the Law …… it reveals wrong but it cannot make a person who tries to keep it right with God. Why is this? Well the reason is that the Law is spiritual and reveals our innermost failings in a way that makes it impossible to keep. This is because we are ‘fallen in Adam’. In other words we are born with a direction in us which is away from God’s perfect right-ness.

How then can we be right with God? The illustration at the beginning of the chapter tells us. We must ‘die’ to the Law (ie. not  try to justify ourselves by our attempts to keep it) and become ‘married’ to Jesus Christ ( justified by trusting in what He has accomplished for us).

There is also another danger which is like having divided loyalties …. trying to be made right by keeping the Law and also coming to Christ for the ‘free’ gift of forgiveness. It cannot be both ways because you are trying to buy one and get one free. It’s not free if you have to pay something to get it. The gospel way, however, is truly free because Jesus paid the price for what we freely receive by faith.

Suffering does not only come from a pandemic

You don’t have to look hard to see people in this world in great need and suffering. There is disease, death, broken relationships, broken families and broken lives. This is why this passage is so important, because it points to hope for people who are hurting. It shows us that it is not how life is meant to be.

The scene is one of great suffering, both physical and emotional, making the people outcasts of society. Those who had come there for healing believed the pool had great healing power. The man was waiting for it to be stirred so he could enter the water.

He was, however, about to learn the most important lesson … our suffering is not sovereign. Jesus is. There is still hope even after 38 years. Jesus asks ‘do you want to get well?’ This was not an absurd question but a necessary one. There is a great risk of letting suffering become our identity.

Receiving Jesus means receiving a new identity.  This should be like a light which guides us home. It is not just infirmity and disease which have no place in heaven, but neither does sin. What Jesus is doing is alerting the man to the seriousness of continuing in sin. This is where he provides the greatest healing …… through the cross and received by faith alone.