The Woman at the Well

Jesus was in Jerusalem. He and the disciples bean to travel back to Galilee. To do that, they had to travel through Samaria.

Samaria had at one time been part of Israel. It was part of the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh. When the Kingdom was divided after the death of Solomon, it became part of Israel, which walked away from God, and followed other Gods. So, the inhabitants had varying degrees of Jewishness, and followed lots of religious practices. And the Jews generally looked down on them, and held them in contempt.

So, the disciples prepared to camp outside one of the cities. They went into a town to get food, and Jesus waited by a well outside the town.

A woman came out of the town to get water from the well. And Jesus asked her for a drink of water. Given the contempt the Jews held for the Samaritans, as well as the commonly held Jewish belief that he would be spiritually polluting himself by drinking from her jar, speaking to the woman was astounding.

So, she began a discussion of religious practices, comparing the Jews and the Samaritans. Like the Jews, she was waiting for the Messiah, who would deliver the people, and set all things right.

And Jesus told her three important things:

• Worship would change. It would not be associated with a building, or a place. It would be connected to truth, and a heart linkage with the Father.
• The Messiah would come and set things right. He did not tell that at this time, putting things right would involve a sacrifice for sin, and a creation of a new family for God.
• And he said he had water that would quench her thirst forever. I don’t know if she realized he was speaking figuratively, but when she asked for some of this water, he revealed he knew about her home life, and marital status. (That she was not married, but was living with her boyfriend. Which means she was also held in contempt by her neighbors.)

These three things stirred her heart, and she went back into town and told her neighbors. And that stirred up her neighbors, so that the whole town walked out to the well, to see and hear Jesus. And Scripture says the whole town believed Jesus, that he was the Messiah, that worship would change, and that people would receive something from God that would quench the thirst in their hearts.

And it was not just for the Jews. It was for all people.

The Paralytic

Jesus is teaching a large group of people in a house. Many houses at that time were built around an open courtyard. The court often had a lattice over it to provide shade. (That’s what it sounded like to me. I might be wrong though.)

Jesus is probably standing in the courtyard. It could accommodate the most people in the house. And Scripture points out that there are Pharisees, and other religious leaders, in the crowd.

Some men carry a paralytic to the house, to be healed by Jesus. But it is too crowded. They can’t get near the door. So, they climb to the roof, remove some of the lattice work, and lower the man down in front of Jesus.

And Jesus, observing the men’s faith, proclaimed that the man’s sin was forgiven.

The Pharisees, immediately, got into an uproar. No one could forgive sin, but God alone. Jesus was a man, and had no such authority.

So, Jesus asked: which is easier? You’re forgiven? Or rise and walk? And the obvious answer is: you’re forgiven, because no visible, tangible response is expected. Rise, and walk, expects a paralyzed man to move.

So, Jesus responded: To demonstrate that I have the authority to forgive sins, … And he commands the man to rise, and walk. And the man gets up and goes home.

Jesus’ miracles were a demonstration of his love, and kindness, toward people. But, they were also a demonstration of his God-given authority. Authority to change the world. Authority to be the forgiver of mankind’s sin. By faith in what he did, and giving him our allegiance, we take up what he gives, and we walk in a new way of life.

The Picnic

Jesus, and his disciples, travel to the far side of the Sea of Galilee. (This quite possibly happened on the same trip, when Jesus freed the demon-possessed man The location described – the modern day Golan Heights – is approximately the same.) And, possibly, it is a different trip, and the people from the surrounding villages come to this area, because of that miracle.

The people come to a deserted place, and only one person brings any food. After discussing this problem with the disciples, he has people sit, borrows the one person’s lunch, thanks God, and proceeds to pull enough food from the one person’s lunch bag – with enough food for one person – and feeds 15,000 people with it. (The disciples only counted the men, and there were 5,000 of those. So, I am assuming an equal number of women and children.)

Somebody realizes that if they put Jesus in charge, he could provide for everyone. They were choosing to “follow” Jesus from self-interest, not love, or a realization of truth, that Jesus was God’s Messiah. So, Jesus withdrew from there.

And when the disciples returned by boat, Jesus walked on water to re-join them.

And the next day, the people also crossed the water by boat, to find Jesus. And Jesus calls them on it. The sought Jesus, not from love, loyalty, a commitment to truth, or even curiosity. They sought Jesus to avoid working to feed themselves.

Jesus urges them to seek “eternal” food. “Food” that will fill their spirit, and soul.

The people asked how to do God’s works. (Are they asking how to get right with God? Or how to do miracles?) Jesus tells them, God wants them to believe in, and follow, God’s Promised One. And they ask for a sign. This always amazes me. The just saw Jesus feed 15,000 people with one person’s lunch, and now they need another miracle. Gosh! Anything but give their hearts to Jesus. Or are they just fixated on themselves, and their needs? They cite God feeding Israel manna.

Jesus says He is true food. He is God’s provision for true life. Provision for the body is important. But it is a relationship with the Father that provides for the inner life, as well as eternity. We need that fuel at least as much as physical food. Giving our allegiance to Jesus gives access to the Father’s fuel. And mankind is short-sighted, self-indulgent, and motivated only by self-interest.

The Demon-Controlled Man

They sailed to the Gerasenes. This was outside of Israel, inhabited by gentiles. (Notice the pigs. Jesus went on a short-term mission trip.)

There was a demon-controlled man living in the area. The people in the area could not control him. He broke out of everything they tried.

The demons in the man saw Jesus get out of the boat, recognized him, and knew they were in trouble. The man ran up to Jesus, and said: “Don’t hurt us, Jesus!” Jesus allowed the demons to enter 2000 pigs nearby.

The men, who watched the pigs, ran into the city; and everybody in the city, came out. The man with the demons – who nobody could control – sat calmly, and normally, with Jesus.

And they began to get frightened, because there was something bigger than demons, and pigs, here. They begged Jesus to go home.

The man, who had the demons, asked Jesus if he could go with him. Jesus told him to go home, and tell his family and friends, all that God did for him. And the man told his story to the entire area.

God is the ideal Father. He invites all people to a stored relationship, and to return to his family. He wants to encourage, and bless, his family.

But he loves all. He wants all to be restored to relationship. And he wants to encourage, and bless, all.

Without allegiance to Jesus, there is no restoration, no relationship. Without relationship, people are not restored to fulfillment of their design. So, God could feed everyone, house everyone, and their lives would still not be complete.

But he will give healing, and provision, in order to facilitate some giving allegiance.

The man sought to follow Jesus. Maybe Jesus did not let him join his merry band, because he was a gentile, and would not be accepted among Jews. But Jesus made him whole, and gave him a mission. One he carried out, exceeding his assignment. Not all who say they follow Jesus, do half of what he assigns them.

The Storm

Jesus had spent the day teaching people along the sea. When it starts getting dark, he says to the disciples: “Let’s sail to the other side.”

They get into a boat, and begin sailing. And Jesus lays down, and goes to sleep.

As I understand it, the topography, around the Sea of Galilee, funnels the wind down to the water’s surface. So, it is possible to have sudden, fierce, storms. And that’s what happened on this trip. A bad storm strikes the small boat. The disciples – many of whom are seasoned fishermen, some on that sea, used to storms – began to grow frightened at the storm’s severity. They began to fear being swamped, and drowning in the storm.

And Jesus slept.

They woke him finally, and said: “We’re all going to die!!”

Jesus stood up, looked the storm in the eye, and said “Ssh!” And the wind, and the waves, became still and quiet.

And Jesus asked: “Where is your faith?”

People everywhere have faith. The disciple’s faith was in their experience at sea, and the soundness of the boat. But the storm was bigger than both.

Jesus’ faith was in the Father, who is bigger that all things.

People have trials, problems, issues, frustrations, storms, emergencies, and catastrophes. They have faith in their skills, plans, bank accounts, and support system. (And it is not bad to have any, or all, of these. Indeed, Father thinks it is wise, and good, to have these.) And some have faith in their God-experiences. But they are all-finite. Because they are finite, they will all fail at some point.

Only one will not fail. Only one is worth putting our faith on.

Jesus’ trust, and reliance, was ultimately in his Father. God puts us into family, gives its, talents, and abilities. All this to support and help us. But, we need to view these things as temporary gifts. Our faith needs to rest on God, our eternally present Father.

The Fast

After John’s anointing, Jesus went into the wilderness. He fasted for forty days. As he had a practice of getting alone to pray, it seems likely that this was an extended time to prepare for his upcoming ministry.

While in the wilderness, the enemy cam to tempt him. Scholars generally divide temptation into three areas. Scripture gives three examples of the temptations. Jesus faced one for each area. And Jesus responded with quotes from Scripture.

Scripture says that Jesus was tempted in every way that people are tempted. Yet he did not sin. Because he was without sin, he was a sacrifice without spot or blemish. Because he was without sin, he was our example in dealing with temptation. (Prayer and scripture.)

Jesus began his ministry demonstrating how to defeat the devil. And demonstrating how he is able to defeat the devil for all of us.

The enemy deceived the first people to break their connection with Father. It is God’s heart to bridge that connection, restore right relationship with his family.

He is ready, willing, and able to defeat the enemy. And he is preparing to take that step.

The Herald

God has revealed his plans with prophetic words, and pictures. God has revealed the Promised One with fulfilled prophecy, and a army of worshiping angels.

And God said he would send a prophet to be a herald of the Promised One.

John proclaimed the need to choose a new life path. And he proclaimed that another of God’s messengers was coming. John immersed people in water, as a symbol of this choice they were making. The Promised One would immerse people in the Holy Spirit, as a result of the choice, and as an enabling to live a new life. The Spirit is the primary component of man’s restoration to his original design, as well as the primary component of man’s restored relationship to the Father.

Jesus came, and was baptized by John, though Jesus never sinned, but to declare Jesus’ alignment with the Father, and to declare Jesus’ position as God’s Promised One. For, as he arose from the water, God declared, and John heard an audible voice: “This is my Son.”

Although, John did not fully understand God’s plan, he did recognize God’s choice, and he continued to proclaim Jesus as the Promised One.

God does not want his children to walk in the dark. He wants them to know who to follow, and who to trust.

The Birth

Finally, the moment in history arrived. The angel, Gabriel, appears to Mary, and proclaims that it was time for God to send the Promised One. And, because God said in Scripture – a prophetic indicator – that the Promised One would be born of a virgin, the Holy Spirit would come, and create the baby in her womb. And Mary agreed in obedience.

Then, because of a Roman ordered census, she and Joseph, her espoused husband, traveled to Bethlehem – another prophetic indicator. The baby was born in humble circumstances. Mary needed to use, an animal feeding trough as a cradle.

In one way, it must have seemed that nothing of consequence had happened. An ordinary birth, in an ordinary town, to ordinary parents. But an angel army appeared to a group of shepherds. A star appeared to a group of scholars in the East. And prophetic words were spoken to two older people, proclaiming the arrival of God’s Anointed One.

In reality, the world system has just flipped upside down, and inside out.

The Prophecy

God has promised, since the day man fell, to send One, who would crush the works of the enemy. It is not God’s desire that man walks in the dark. He has given several ways, times, and events, that reveal his intentions.

He sent another man with a message for the people. The message was about the One, who God was sending.

God exalts this Person, and held him in high esteem. But, he is not someone the people would expect. He would be lowly in life. People would not esteem him. Indeed, people would even consider that he was rejected by God.

But the message specifically says that he was pierced, crushed, and struck down. All this, because of our sins, and transgressions. All of the punishment for our rebellion fell on him.

He did nothing wrong. He did not sin. So, he became the perfect sacrifice for sin. He became the complete sacrifice. When we give our allegiance to Jesus, and the Father, this sacrifice is credited to us. Our account is forever paid in full.

Our lives are changed, because our hearts are changed. Moving to, and growing with, our God-given design becomes full, and satisfying. Sin grows distasteful.

God’s heart is for love, joy, and peace. Sin leads to selfishness, misery, animosity, and commotion. Our relationship with Father is vital, central, and necessary to move us toward God’s heart for us. This act of service, and sacrifice, of this Person was the watershed moment of history. The ability of an individual to recognize it is the watershed moment of that person’s life.

The Song

There is a large section of the Bible, that is a collection of songs and poems. One of the more well-know poems is a comparison of God as a shepherd, and God’s people as sheep.

The writer, David, was a king of Israel. But growing up, he was a shepherd, responsible to watch, and care for, his family’s sheep. He knew what was necessary to care for sheep. He knew what they needed to be whole, and healthy. And he knew the bad habits, wrong attitudes, and mindsets of sheep. And how they got into trouble without a shepherd – a good shepherd – to watch over them.

Sheep need good, healthy grass. Sheep will destroy and entire meadow by eating every last morsel of plant life. The meadow will become a desert, and a wasteland. And the sheep will remain in the former meadow, looking in vain for anything green.

So, a wise shepherd will move the flock from place to place. This keeps the sheep well-fed, and the pasture land remains healthy.

Sheep need good, clean water. They will drink the water, but also use it as a lavatory. So, the shepherd needs to encourage the former, and – to keep the flock healthy – discourage the latter.

Sheep also need still water. Apparently, sheep frighten easily. They have been know to stampede, if while they are drinking, a sudden gust of wind causes ripples on the water. (I seem to remember someone saying that sheep can be frightened, when they go to drink, and they see their reflection in the water.) If the sheep scatter out of fear, the shepherd needs to track them down, repair any damage they do to themselves in their panic, and gather them together again. All sorts of damage, and problems, can occur, because of panicked reactions.

The poem goes on to underscore disease prevention, and treatment, protection from enemies, and maintaining the environment. In all of these situations, it is the presence, and the actions, of the shepherd that make the difference between life and death. Safety, peace, and security as opposed to disaster. Health and wholeness as opposed to pain, disease, and suffering.

Like sheep, people are designed to function better, when they are in relationship to the Shepherd. We need to move, while in connection, and communication, with our Shepherd. Itg is best if we think, speak, and act, in ways that do not disrupt the connection, but rather enhances the connection.

The Sacrificial System

Scripture says that sin breaks the relationship between God and man. People are unable to live out their design. Sin degrades the meaning, and significance, of man’s life. The God-man relationship, which is the main, and essential, factor for meaning and significance is broken.

The Old Covenant said: if someone sins, when they recognize the sin, they should offer a sacrifice to repair the broken God-man relationship.

People sin. Sometimes intentionally. Sometimes unintentionally. But intention does not matter. Any sin breaks the relationship between God and man.

These sacrifices show the seriousness of sin, and the broken relationship. A sacrifice should be made for each sin. And sacrifice is costly. But it is not God’s final solution.

In the Old Covenant, sacrifice was God’s method of dealing with sin. But sacrifice only covers sin. It only hides sin. Man’s sacrifice is not strong enough to satisfy God’s justice. Man’s sacrifice cannot remove sin.

If man’s sacrifice was sufficient, it would completely, and permanently, meet God’s requirements. But, both the giver and the gift are imperfect. But, there is God’s final solution.

NOTE: God gave the Law to reveal to people the completeness of sin. In other words, people cannot say: “Yes, I mess up in this area, but I do pretty good in these areas, and I’m really good in these areas.” In reality, we are broken in all areas.

God gave the sacrificial system to reveal to people the extent of sin. In other words, people cannot say: “Yes, I sin in all areas, but only a little.” In reality, we sin more than we realize, and, certainly, more than we admit.

The Law

God’s people have fled a natural disaster to a land of refuge. Then, they left that land, which became a land of oppression, after the Lord delivered them. Then, they returned to the land given to them, to build God’s family.

God brings them to a mountain, where they will stay for a time. They will prepare to enter into a covenant with God.

A covenant is similar to a contract. But it is different, in that a contract is based on legal penalties. A covenant is based on promises. Marriage is the most commonly understood covenant. And it is becoming more like a contract, because of pre-nuptial agreements. But, covenants are based on the character of those keeping the covenant. So, God is eternally faithful, and completely, and totally, honest. He will always keep his promises. He will always uphold his covenants.

People not so much.

Even when people enter covenants sincerely, fully intending to keep them, they cannot always do it. Circumstances often work against them. They are simply not strong enough, no matter how hard they try.

The covenant that Israel entered into, with God on that mountain, was based on their desire to follow God, and their agreement to follow his Law.

God’s Law falls into two basic parts. One, to honor, and worship, the one true God alone, above all other gods. Two, to honor other people in thought, word, and deed. And no matter our good intentions, and desires, no one — not Israel, not us — has successfully completed that covenant. There are passages in the Bible, where the writers explain that this covenant was made to demonstrate our failure to keep it. It was made to show our need for another, different kind of covenant.

God Illustrates the Plan #2

The family of the man and woman began to grow. But, while it was still relatively small, the needed to move to Egypt for refuge, because of a natural disaster.

And, because God warned the family about the natural disaster, the family was able to warn the nation of refuge, who were then able to prepare.

But, after a time, the family grew to nation size, and “what have you done for me lately?” was a popular mind set, even back then. So, the nation of refuge began to view the family/nation as a threat. And the nation of refuge became the nation of oppression.

So, God’s family/nation began to seek his help. And God acted. He began to show that he was superior to this nation, to their gods, to their king, and their army, by a series of disasters. Culminating in death going to each household, that did not identify with God, by using a sign that God specified. The blood of a sacrificed lamp on the door, marked those who identified with God.

And God inaugurated the first holiday for this family/nation. Each year, they were to set aside time to remember the oppression, and God’s extraordinary acts of deliverance.

The family/nation was in a position of being slowly, but surely, destroyed. If they acted on their own, they would have only accelerated the destruction. They were helpless, and hopeless.

God’s motivation, intention, and plan is to bring peace, joy, and love to the peoples of the world. Ultimately, this means restoring his original plan, and people’s relationship with him.

This is another picture. God delivering the helpless, and hopeless, when they identified with God, through the blood of a lamb — a substitute.

God Illustrates the Plan #1

So, the man and his wife moved to the land God directed them to. And, after many years, the man and the woman had a son.

And God told the man, that he would build his family through this son. Through the son’s children, God would produce the people group to represent him. Through the son’s children, God would produce that one person, who would become the way, and means, to a restored relationship between God and man.

But then, God commanded the man to offer his son as a burnt offering.

This must have been very confusing. God says it’s wrong to kill the innocent. God says this boy will be the start of a large people group, and the ancestor of God’s Savior. And God says, give this boy as an offering.

Did God lie?

It is against God’s nature to lie. So, the man believed God’s promise. And he believed God’s command. So, how could God create a family, and a people, through this boy, if he was sacrificed? It says in another part of Scripture, that the man knew God created the world. If the boy was killed, as a sacrifice, and his body burned, God was able to re-assemble his atoms, and breather life into the boy. In short, God could keep his promise, and he could obey the command, because God would restore him from the dead.

So, he acted to obey God. And when the son asked, why didn’t they have a lamb for the sacrifice, the man responded that God would provide.

But, instead of raising the dead, God told the man to stop, just in time. And he provided a ram for the sacrifice.

Sometimes, God’s commands are difficult to obey. God never contradicts his Word. God will never command sin. He will only command what will complete his design, and give life. Scripture says that love fulfills his commands. So, he will only command what shows love.

Sometimes, God’s commands are difficult to obey. But people are able to obey them. People will always be better off, if they obey them. And the world will be better if people obey God’s commands.

NOTE: Throughout history, God gave pictures of his heart for people. Here the picture of man, who rebels against God, and his ways. Each one will pay with his life for that rebellion. Except God provides a substitute. The substitute is sufficient to meet the requirements of God’s justice, and the depth of man’s helplessness. He gives us his sufficiency.

The Start of the Solution

Then, God begins a plan to rebuild his family. A plan that will take thousands of years to complete.

God chooses a man to begin his family. He sends the man, and his immediate family, to a place far from his birth family. He sends them far away, so his birth family would not have a controlling effect on what he will do.

God tells the man that his family will become a large people group. And this people group will bless all people groups everywhere.

God intends that this people group will represent him, and demonstrate who he is. The world will see the nature of the one Creator God in this people group. And from this people, God will produce a man, who will be the bridge between God and man. This man will enable all mankind to move back to a restored relationship with Father.

God is able to build this bridge. And the man will be able to cross it. The relationship that defines what life was intended to be, and what man was designed to be, can, and will be, rebuilt.

In reality, we see that the people does a pretty poor job of demonstrating who Father is. They fail, because they are broken, like all people are broken.

But, they do produce God’s bridge. The man, who by his life, and his choices, enables all mankind to have restored relationships with the Father.

Continuing to Fall

After  the Fall, Scripture continues wit the story of God, man, and God’s work to reclaim, and rebuild, is family.

Mankind chose to walk away from God’s way. And the world broke. And mankind continued to walk away from God. So, the world grew darker. Violence increased and expanded.

Scripture says God looked at the state of the world, and found virtually everything was bad. The only place he found any good was in a man named Noah.

Noah found favor, because he continued to seek relationship with God. Mankind still has the power to choose. Though, polluted, and broken, we can choose to move God’s way, and walk with him, even if we stumble, and stub our toes the whole way.

So, with the possibility of God’s family, and God’s way, being wiped out in a flood of brokenness, and rebellion, God decides that a cleansing, and a reboot, are in order.

So, thousands of miles from the sea, God tells Noah to build a boat. A really big boat.

“Hey, Noah! Wotcha building?”

“You’re building a what?!?!”

Scripture says it took Noah 120 years to build this boat. And each day, he was given the opportunity to explain what he was doing, and why. And each day:

• People though Noah was crazy.
• They rejected what he said.
• They ignored God, and what he said.
• And maybe, they even liked the way things were.

But no one joined Noah. No one agreed things were bad. No one chose to walk God’s way.

So, when the boat was finished, God sent a pair of every kind of animal. And they went into he boat. Then, Noah and his family went into the boat. And God sealed them in safely.

Then, God sent torrential rains which flooded the earth, and destroyed all life … except for what was preserved in the boat.

God reveals his heart in this story. His heart is for preservation. His heart is for people to live out their design, in relationship with him, and other people.

And God spent a lifetime – 120 years – trying to persuade people to change what they followed. He is patient. He is persistent.

And man reveals his heart in this story. Some will realize God’s design is best. And some will pursue that design, which will mean choosing allegiance to him.

And some, even in the face of disaster, and decaying circumstances, will continue to pursue their own way. Which does not work.

The Fall

Of course, things did not stay perfect. One look at the world should convince everyone of that.

The serpent came to the woman, and asked: “Did God really say?” In reality, he calls God a liar. He is saying God is not trustworthy.

The woman listens. And the man does nothing. The woman is convinced, and breaks God’s one, and only, law. And the man listens. And he breaks God’s one, and only, law.

And everything changes. And everything breaks.

God finds out, and brings it to the man and the woman. And they push the blame elsewhere.

All that is bad, broken, or corrupt, follows from this law breaking. And the brokenness pervades all creation.

Relationships are strained. Men and women strive for control. (With men prevailing, because of greater physical strength.) Natural functions, and processes, become difficult and painful.

The fuels of life are still necessary, but no longer satisfy. Because of the labor needed to produce, the physical fuels are less effective. Because of broken relationships, the spiritual fuels are polluted, and therefore, less fulfilling. Community is broken. And the primary relationship between Father and his children is broken. We can see some health, and wholeness, in people, because there is still love, beauty, and community. But these things are polluted. They can only be purified by our relationship with Father. And as it is broken, all other spiritual fuels ae less effective.

The only ray of hope is a sort of obscure promise God gives, that the woman’s offspring will crush the head of the serpent, even though he will be bitten in return.

Creation

God created the universe. The bible says he created part of creation, each day, over several days. He could have created everything at once. But following this process, he established a pattern of work, and rest, within creation.

And God created everything good. “Good” encompasses a lot of things. God made creation pleasing to the senses. Of excellent quality. Beneficial in effect. God is not just a creator. He is a brilliant engineer, a master planner, and a master artist. What he creates provides for the body, the mind, and the soul. And creation perfectly takes care of, and sustains, itself.

Creation was a perfect place. It had all that men needed, or wanted.

On the last day of work, God created man. Then, he created a garden, and put man in it. He put man into a perfect environment. It not only satisfied their physical needs, it satisfied the needs of their inner man. There were physical fuels. And there were spiritual fuels.

In order for people to function optimally, the need both physical and spiritual fuels. The need sufficient protein, vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc. The also need sufficient love, purpose, beauty, community, and meaning.

And the garden had sufficient supply to feed the body. And it had beauty. There was meaningful work in caring for the garden. There was community: first with the Father, and then, with other people. Love, and meaning, came with that community.

Mankind had all that it needed, physically and spiritually. Creation was perfect.

The Vine

The last message is: “I am the vine.” Jesus sets up a metaphor that compares God’s family to a vineyard, specifically a grape vine.

Jesus himself is the vine. And all God’s children are branches off the vine. And the purpose of God’s children — or the purpose of the branches — is to produce fruit.

The fruit is connected to the branches. The branches are connected to the vine. And all are connected to the root. It is this connection that provides everything a branch needs to thrive, to grow, and to produce fruit.

So, what is fruit? One way to define fruit is: Effects of the Holy Spirit, and God’s love, flowing through people. Another way is: Anything you can think of that you can say “this is what God wants.”

Does God want a bigger family? Does God want children who are whole? Physically? Emotionally? Psychologically? Spiritually? Does God want love, and peace, between people? Locally? Globally? Did God create a perfect environment, so people would have something to mess up?

If you are a child of God, you are a branch on the vine. If you are a branch, you are supposed to bear fruit. And according to this passage, the key to having the Spirit, and love, of the Father  flow through you to produce what God wants, is connection.

Part of connection is the Spirit of God making his home in a person’s inner core. But, lifetime patterns of sin blocks, distorts, or filters out God’s Spirit. God’s love is polluted by our sin. God makes his home, by his spirit, in our lives, as his guarantee that we are members of his family. One goal of God’s children is to allow the Spirit to flow from our lives freely, and purely.

So, God made the initial connection, when we gave him our allegiance. How do we maintain that connection? Sometimes, we need to renew, or refresh, that connection. How do we do that?

Restoring, refreshing, or enhancing our connection with Father should be continual, and on-going. Followers of Jesus have traditionally prescribed a daily reset. Prayer, reading, and meditating on, Scripture are the center of this reset. Some people practice personal worship. Each step of these spiritual disciplines should be one more pin hole in a person’s sin life, allowing Father’s Spirit, love, and grace, to flow into the world.

Scripture encourages continual prayer. Which highlights the importance of maintaining connection, and regular resets during the day. And something God will use different experiences to also poke holes in the sin life.

It seems a little counter-intuitive. The effect of God’s family in the world is not related to how much time, money, work and energy are expended. (Though the reality of the connection will be demonstrated through those areas.) It is related to our connection to God, and how freely we let him flow through us.

Resurrrection

Jesus, and his disciples, are out in the country. A man comes with a message. One of Jesus’ friends was really sick. The man, and his family, know that Jesus loves, and can heal his friend. They know Jesus loves all people. So, Jesus camps out, right where he is, for the next four days. (Which does not seem to show concern.)

After the four days is over, Jesus announces that they need to return to this friend’s city, because he has died.

And when they arrive at the city, he meets separately with the man’s two sisters. They both lament the fact, that if Jesus had been there, their brother would still be alive.

He tells one sister that her brother will rise, and live again. She agrees, that at the end of time, when all rise, he will live again. And Jesus gives his message: “I am the Resurrection.”

And to prove his point, although the man has been dead four days, decomposition well under way, sinking to high, high heaven, Jesus has the stone, sealing the man’s tomb, rolled away. After briefly thanking Father, he calls the four-days dead, and rotting, man to come out of the tomb. And he does.

God has the power of life, and death. He has focused our experience of life to move through our relationship with a particular man. And through that man, our relationship with God himself.

Life is not about miracles, and power. It is about a love relationship with the Father of the universe. And all of these other things, are about fostering, and promoting, that relationship.

The Gatekeeper, and The Good Shepherd

Next, Jesus finds a man, who was born blind. Now, there was a common belief, that everything that happens to someone is from God. Bad stuff happens, God is mad at you. Good stuff happens, God is pleased with you. So, the disciples ask: Is God mad at this man for something he did? (Which is hard to understand, because whatever it was happened before he was born.) Or, is God mad at the man’s parents? (Which doesn’t seem fair, punishing the man for something the parents did.)

Jesus says: Neither. Rather it was so God’s glory could be seen.

So, Jesus heals the man’s eyes; and he again made the “mistake” of healing on the Sabbath. After a big fight between the Pharisees, and the former blind man, he gives his allegiance to Jesus.

And Jesus proclaims: I cam into the world to give sight to the (spiritually) blind. And to demonstrate to one’s who think they (spiritually) see, that they really don’t get it.

And, of course, some Pharisees, who know the system — and, therefore, “truly,” and “fully,” understand God’s heart, and God’s desire — were listening. And they asked Jesus: You mean us?

So, Jesus began comparing his family with a flock of sheep. Sheep were kept in a fenced area, of sheepfold. There is a gate. The gate is the correct, and proper way for the sheep, and the shepherd, to enter, and exit, the sheepfold.

Thieves don’t come through the gate. Shepherds come through the gate. The shepherd knows his sheep personally. The sheep know the shepherd personally.

The sheepfold becomes a metaphor of God’s family, and God’s kingdom. Sin means there is no legitimate way into God’s family, that we can provide for ourselves. We need someone to open the gate for us. We come to the gate. The gatekeeper knows us. He calls us. And he opens the gate for us.

But the sheep are not just in the sheepfold. They go out to pasture. God’s people are not just in god’s family. They go out into the world. But they don’t go alone. The shepherd goes with them. He goes into the sheepfold, calls his sheep, and brings them out. He finds the best grass for them. He finds abundant water. He protects them from predators, and thieves.

(NOTE: We all know people who have suffered. They have been beaten, and stolen from. This short paragraph can, by no means, respond to the question: Why does bad stuff happen? The factors are too numerous, The connections are too complex. Like all people, I would love a 10-word sentence, that would fully, and completely, explain evil. I don’t think that is possible though. I do think that God’s heart is for abundance, peace, and rest for his people. Peace, and rest, usually means no thieves, or predators.)

It is the presence, and the active involvement, of the shepherd, that leads to the abundance, and rest, of the sheep. And the sheep need to keep contact with, and connected to, the shepherd. They will have no rest, or provision, if they wander away.

Like the shepherd, who puts his life on the line to protect the sheep, Jesus gave his life, so the sheep are granted access to the sheepfold. So, mankind can be included in his family, as they give him allegiance. Without Jesus choosing to lay down his life, we have nothing.

Light of the World

It is time for the Feast of Booths, and Jesus goes to Jerusalem for the Feast. And while in Jerusalem, he gives a series of messages.

And, after outlining how each “I am” message is combined with a miracle, it seems like this message has no associated miracle. But, a closer look reveals that the connected miracle happened the last time Jesus was in Jerusalem, before he fed the 5000.

There was a pool in Jerusalem, around which sick people would gather. It was said that when the water was stirred up, or agitated, that it was caused by an angel. The first person to get into the pool, when the stirring began, would be healed.

So, when Jesus passed by the pool, he found a man, who was crippled, and wanted to get healed. But, because he was crippled, when the water was stirred, he could not move fast enough to be first. So, Jesus healed him, instead.

The problem, however, was that it was the Sabbath. People aren’t supposed to work on the Sabbath. And, apparently, performing miraculous healings is work.

We have discussed here, the system the Jews devised to ensure obedience to the Law. Keep the system, and one keeps the Law, they reasoned.

But only God can enable the blind to see, or the crippled to walk. How can someone not keep the system, but find favor with God? (Who should be angry with someone, because he’s not keeping the system.) So, the Jewish leaders stalked, and spied on Jesus. They looked for, and even tried to invent, things that would discredit him.

The message was a simple proclamation. If you are in the dark, you can’t know the way to go. But, if you follow Jesus, he will provide light – he is light – and we can see the way to life.

If we follow Jesus, we can see how to live, how to be restored to correct relationship to Father, and how to connect to people in god-honoring ways, which boil down to love.

And we don’t need to keep score on how well we keep the system. Because God doesn’t keep score. He knows we will automatically lose.

And the Jews, who worked hard at keeping the system, automatically lost. Because no system is complete, thorough, or good enough. And it blinded them to God’s #1 concern: love.

Bread of Life

In one of Jesus’ biographies, the writer organizes the story around seven miracles, and seven associated messages. In each of these particular messages, Jesus begins with “I am something.” He arranged the story this way, with the intention that the combination would amplify the individual parts.

The first message followed Jesus feeding the 5000. Jesus was speaking to a large crowd, for a long time. After several hours, it was time for a break. And everybody was hungry. Apparently, there were no restaurants or stores nearby. Only one boy’s lunch. So, Jesus borrowed the lunch, and multiplied it enough to feed 15000 people. (Estimate based on an equal number of women and children to the counted number of men.) And not only was there enough to feed everyone, but there were a lot of leftovers.

Of course, the people thought that was great. They said: “Let’s put Jesus in charge, and nobody will need to work.” It was not that Jesus was against providing what people needed. But, there was something that people were missing. Something they needed, at least as much as food. From God’s perspective, it was vital. And it was Jesus’ mission to provide that something. So, he left.

And when the people found him again, he flat out told them, they were more interested in their stomachs, than their hearts, and their relationship with God. So, they asked what seemed to be the next logical question: “What does God want us to do?” And Jesus answered: “Follow the one God sent.”

They knew he was referring to himself. So, they asked him to do a miracle to verify that he was from God. (Remember: they had just watched him feed thousands of people with food intended to feed one person.) And they referred to God’s provision of Manna, to feed Israel in the desert.

So, Jesus redirects their attention to God’s provision for the sin of the world, and a restored relationship between God and people. And, because they used God providing bread to meet physical needs, he says, “I am the bread of life.”

I am God’s provision to satisfy God’s justice. I am the way to restore relationship with God, to become part of his family, to begin restoration of God’s original design for people, to become the home of God’s Spirit, and to have the record of our sin — past, present, and future — be erased, and the penalty paid for. I am the way back to life as God created it to be.

The people were bothered by what he said, to say the least. They did not understand how to apply the metaphor. And they knew Jesus, his background, and where he was from physically. The knew about God’s Messiah, but they had a pre-conception of what that meant, and how it would work.

Jesus was completing his mission. He was ultimately going to die for mankind’s sin. But first, he would testify to, and demonstrate, God’s plan.

One lesson we could draw from this is: if the sinless Son of God could be misunderstood, rejected, and hated, we can be also. If the one who perfectly loved, and perfectly testified about God’s plan, was reject, and despised, what are the odds we will be too?

Love is Job #1

Scripture is filled with stories of miracles, healings, and supernatural power of all sorts. Yet, as amazing, dynamic, and powerful as these stories are, it is not Scriptures, and, therefore, God’s — Father, Son, and Spirit — first, and foremost, focus and priority.

 

Love is God’s foremost focus, and priority. Scripture call love the greatest. It says love should be practiced above all, and first of all. Supernatural power is temporary; love is eternal. Scripture says that God has power. That he does miracles. But it says that God is love. Scripture says that prophecy, and miracles, are worthless, and meaningless, unless they are expressed through, and undergirded by, love.

 

Paul prays for one church’s love. He has already praised God, and them, for their love. No, he prays for its increase … toward one another, and all people.

 

Love require a change in one’s heart. It becomes stronger. Its motives, priorities, and responses, become more godly, holy, and blameless.

 

If we are taking on God’s nature more as we grow, we must take on love.

Trust God's Way

There is a passage of Scripture that I will paraphrase:

- trust God

- don't rely on what you know

- obey him always

- knowing where to go, and what to do, will be easy

Many describe this passage as their favorite. They try to follow it, and use it, as their motto for living. And I am not saying they don't. I am commenting on the fact that most, maybe all followers of Jesus trust God, when times are good. But when times are difficult, or confusing, they tend to rely on what they know.

The urge to follow "human wisdom" gets especially strong when God instructs us to do something crazy. Like love your enemies, forgive those who hurt you, or pray blessing for those who persecute you.

In a world, that is becoming increasingly against God, Jesus, the Spirit, the gospel, and God's family, it is becoming increasingly more important for God's family to follow God more closely. Christian leaders have, in the past, made calls for greater political activism. I am not suggesting we shouldn't vote, or hold million man marches. But maybe those who trust God should be organizing prayer meetings, that: invite God's Spirit into our political processes, walk in the lives of our leaders, even our enemies), and pray for love to those inclined to gun violence.

Maybe God's family needs to seek ways to love the homeless, those seeking abortions, and minorities of all sorts.

And maybe instead of filtering money through Christian para-church organizations, as good as they may be, we need to be like Jesus and hug lepers, mad men, and prostitutes. In other words, maybe each one of us needs to get our hands dirty in some way.

Jesus, who was without sin, who trusted God the most, whose prayers reached God the most, who loved best, was slandered, reviled, and accused. Can we expect less?

Paul considered floggings, stoning, prison, and shipwrecks as "momentary light affliction." Maybe we need an attitude adjustment.

Prayer: Important for the Mission

In many of his letters, Paul urges God's family to pursue prayer. To be persistent, tenacious, and steadfast.

Prayer expresses our dependence on God. It is a cry for help, because in the roots of where the greatest changes are needed -- the hearts of men -- people are unable to act, or speak, and have any real effect. It is Father who has power over hearts. And we need to invite him into situations. He could kick down any door he wished, but he waits for an invitation. Our prayers become open doors. We give room for him to act.

Jesus told us to pray for workers in the harvest. Paul asked for prayer for opportunities to clearly proclaim the gospel. We are God's partners in his mission. And he does want our participation in gospel proclamation. But, as important as our open mouths, it is equally important to focus our hearts for change, softening, and openness, in other's hearts. It is important to pray for God's preparation for people to receive, and God's children to recognize, and act, on opportunities.

God's Kingdom is expanding, and taking ground. We need the Billy Graham's, Luis Palau's, and Reinhard Bonnke's of the world. But we also need millions, who like Jesus, take time to speak to the woman at the well.

And we need millions, who will daily open  door to allow God's Spirit to move freely, powerfully, in people's hearts. We need them to invite God's presence into their families, the work places, their cities, and the masses of China, and India.

Embracing God's Will ... and Change

Many of Paul's letters begin with thanksgivings, and praise, for God's work in people's lives, and their growth. Giving allegiance to Jesus always involves change. There is a change in people's view of Jesus. There is a change in people's view of life, and its expectations, conduct, and end results.

The biggest factor in transformation, of someone following Jesus, is the literal presence of God in their lives. The Holy Spirit makes his home in the inner man of all God's children. He is a constant guide, resource, teacher, and comforter.

Because God has given each person a different place in his Kingdom, he guides each one differently. But, as we are all his children, there are ways he guides us the same, to achieve the identical outcome. He wants all of his children:

• to walk in greater relationship with him ... including eternity with him becoming more real, more true.
• to believe, and trust, what he says more.
• to love him, his family, and those not in his family, more.

Part of following Jesus means embracing this change. It can be disrupting, difficult, and causing fear and anxiety. We don't know where it's going.

God's family generally acknowledges that God-led change is good. But because of the clamor, and din, of a multitude of voices, it is sometimes hard to hear that still, small voice of love, and truth. Cultivating the habit of listening prayer becomes a vital, necessary tool.

Out of a multitude of voices, there are some who want to stop God's family from acting as God's family. There are some in God's family, who want to maintain historic practices, so they don't want to change. There are some, who want to be obedient, but only hear half of what God says, so they only obey half.

This is the challenge of following Christ. To hear and obey, all God says. To move into the future, remain relevant, and stay true to God's eternal word.

And this was true of many churches in the first century. They grabbed hold of the gospel, a love relationship with Father, and a lifestyle that drew others to desire a relationship with Father, but also spoke to the moral rights and wrongs of their time, without compromising on living out faith, hope, and love.