John 4:4-9 Now Jesus had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
 
JOHN, the apostle, is very deliberate in many ways to demonstrate God’s love. In John 4, we’ll see how Jesus’ extraordinary love pours richly into this woman in Sychar, Samaria. Let’s learn from our Lord, as he, weary in travel, stops to love on a woman weary in her soul.
   We can first witness the Lord’s love in his travel route from Judah to Galilee as he goes through Samaria. Samaria was once the Northern Kingdom – or Israel (also called Ephraim). Ten of the 12 tribes of the people Israel had split from the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Those two tribes formed the nation Judah, also called Judea. Because of their continual idol worship, the Lord destroyed Israel a few years before he exiled Judah to Babylon. The Samaritans of Jesus’ day were descended from a mix of Israel and other people groups. God’s law prohibited any Israelite from marrying Gentiles. Thus, the Jews – those living in Judah – viewed a Samaritan as impure, tainted with foreign bloodlines. Hatred between the Jews and Samaritans was so great, most Jews traveling from Judah to Galilee avoided Samaria.
   But the God who is love is traveling the way of love to his people.
   Graciously, the Lord God of Israel has come to heal this division among his people. Jesus walked against the cultural divide to demonstrate, “God so loved the world.” (John 3:16a) He then takes the second step into this love relationship when he asked the woman, “Will you give me a drink?”
   Do you want to know how to love your neighbor as yourself? Jesus shows you. You might think that a question asking for someone to serve you may not seem to be a start to a love relationship. But wait. What often happens when a stranger asks you for help? You feel honored and even privileged to fulfill a need. Likely, this was especially true with this woman. We will learn that she is an outcast. Would she not feel some worth as someone asked for her help? Jesus begins to show her value. Ultimately, he wants her to “lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.” (Psalms 116:13)
   For the second time, Jesus has broken a cultural law. As we see, John tells us Jewish men never talked to Samaritan women. Cultural barriers could also have kept her from responding to the Lord’s request. But greater than these barriers is the Lord’s love. “Will you give me a drink?” effectively said, “I submit to your help. I am in need. You can help me. You have the ability to refresh me with some of the water you have come to draw.” Christ walks into Samaria and speaks to a Samaritan woman. Wow! God even reigns over the culture!
   How are you? Are you thirsty? Do you long to dink of God’s love, joy, peace and gentleness in your life. How has Jesus “walked” into your life to ask, “Will you give me a drink?” In other words, our Lord wants to see if you are willing to stop your daily life for a few minutes to consider your relationship with him. Are you willing to serve him? Do you love your neighbors enough to quench someone’s spiritual thirst? Are you willing to offer them a drink of your Lord?  
    
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you have often stopped by to talk with me. I pray I will listen and respond to your love. In your name. Amen.

John 4:1-3 The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.
 
IN these first readings from John, we have watched John the Baptist point to Jesus to affirm it is time for Jesus to become more and his own ministry to become less. We can rejoice that John was a true prophet of God. Not only did he faithfully speak and minister to the Jews as God had directed him, John humbly stood back as Jesus began to stand out. John 3:30 He must become greater; I must become less.  John was living into the wisdom of Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.
   Jesus, too, lived in obedience to this wisdom. The gospels repeatedly describe how Jesus worked within the Father’s timeframe to do God’s will on earth. When, for example, he was 12 years old, Jesus met with the temple officials and proclaimed to his mother in Luke 2:49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” This indicates he was preparing for the time of his ministry. The Lord Jesus lived within his purpose.
   Also, Jesus’ revelation to his hometown in the Nazareth synagogue occurred at the set time: Luke 4:21b “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” And several times we his words: John 7:6b “The right time for me has not yet come.” And then he prayed with submission: John 17:1b “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.” 
   For our Lord Jesus, Son of God, there was a time for every season, every purpose under heaven. He spoke of judgment and salvation. Healing and cursing, death and resurrection, hope and sorrow, rebuke and encouragement – all of heaven and earth was under his watchful eyes. That’s why he left Judea to return to Galilee. He had gone to Jerusalem to make his ministry known. The Lord used John the Baptist to introduce him to the Jews. John’s work for that time was nearing its fulfillment. It was time now for Jesus to go to his home territory to call more disciples, to heal his own, to proclaim the gospel, to denounce sin and self-righteousness and to uphold God’s grace.
   Preaching, healing, compassion, mercy, sorrow and joy would fill his time remaining on earth. He was the complete minister of God, come to care for his people. He loved “the world” so much, God became flesh in God’s time to awaken his creation to the time of God’s Kingdom come.
   Jesus could have stayed to argue with the Pharisees. But he had better things to do with his time. His time to announce the Kingdom of God had come.
 
Prayer: Help me, Lord, to know what time it is. In Jesu’ name, amen.
 
 

John 3:35-36 “The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
 
THERE is some debate whether John the Baptist, Jesus or the apostle John speaking here. In any case, here again in John 3, as in verses 16-18, we read a gospel summary. The gospel of John continues to adamantly proclaim: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
   Two points I’d like to make. How could the gospel have been spoken by John the Baptist? He’s an Old Testament prophet, right? True, but he is not the first Old Testament prophet to speak the gospel. See, for example, Isaiah 42:1 “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.” Through Isaiah, God, the Father, describes his Son to come. His chosen one will be anointed in the Spirit’s power to proclaim God’s righteousness. As a result, all nations will know the difference between “whoever believes” and “whoever rejects”. The gospel is good news declared since God’s promise of a Savior in Eden. Jesus is the servant come. Matthew 20:28 “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
   Second, let’s note “God’s wrath remains on him”. Most of us will skim right over those words. We are very uncomfortable to consider that as God is love. (1 John 4:16) and God so loved the world (John 3:16), his wrath or anger would be on anyone. We consider God’s wrath as being an Old Testament view of God. Surely, Jesus canceled all of God’s wrath!
   Yes, Jesus will cancel God’s anger against sin. But that will occur, again, for whoever believes in him. Jesus teaches many times of God’s wrath on the unrepentant sinner. He gives us the awful view of the Rich Man’s condemnation to hell in Luke 16. He has told Nicodemus that those who do not believe stand condemned. He prophesies he will come to separate the believers from unbelievers.
   We are born under God’s wrath. Jesus as come to release us into God’s glory. Believe this and live.
 
Prayer: I pray, Lord, for those in my family who do not believe. Turn their hearts to your justice, so they will be saved. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 

John 3:31-34 “The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.”
 
JOHN the Baptist identifies three aspects of Jesus and his ministry.
   First, John, for a second time, affirms Jesus’ deity. Jesus is “The One who comes from above is above all.”  The prophet contrasts this with his own identity as a man from the earth. Yes, God gave to John and all the prophets before him Spirit-powered ministries. But their work was not as great as Jesus’ soul-transforming ministry.  
   Second, John condemns our hard hearts. Jesus has come to testify of all he knows – all he has seen and heard. Imagine! The eternal Word made flesh testifies to all he knows! Hear God’s knowledge: Proverbs 3:19-21 By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; 20 by his knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew. How can we not accept God’s testimony? What so severely divides our minds from God? Be urgent to follow Proverbs 3:21 My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight.
   Jesus, too, often testified that he spoke what the Father had given him to say. John 8:28 “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am [the one I claim to be] and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.”
   Third, John tells us Jesus’ ministry is empowered in the Spirit without limit. This contrasts to the Baptist and all Old Testament prophets who were anointed with the Holy Spirit only when they were speaking for God. In other words, the Spirit of God was not always on the prophets to give them unlimited power. Jesus, though, is fully under the Spirit’s anointing. Every move he makes, and each word he says is conveyed in the ever-present, active Spirit. 
   Jesus would later speak of the Christian’s power to live in the same anointing. John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. Jesus also confirmed this with his testimony of John contrasting with the church in Matthew 11:11 “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
   Jesus Christ of Nazareth is God. He has come to teach in God’s unlimited power. I pray we all listen to him.
 
Prayer: Do we know, Father, how grand and glorious is your love that you have sent Jesus, anointed in the Spirit, to teach us of God? In the Savior’s name I pray. Amen.
 

John 3:29-30 “The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”
 
JOHN the Baptist continues to speak to his disciples. They are frustrated for two reasons. The Jews are speaking against John’s baptism. Plus, they seem jealous of Jesus’ growing following. John has reminded them of his own calling that he is “not the Christ” (verse 28). How wonderful it is to know that John’s attitude is not a resigned, “I guess that’s the way it has to be.” In contrast, John says, “That joy is mine and it is now complete.”  And he illustrates his joy through the imagery of the wedding, one the Jews’ most joyful celebrations.
   As we have seen in Jesus’ Cana miracle, a wedding was a week-long celebration. The bridegroom’s friend, one we call the “best man” today, would oversee many of the activities. He looked after the groom. He paid attention to the refreshments and distribution of the wine. He kept the feast functioning well, so the guests would focus on the groom.
   John the Baptist describes himself as Jesus’ “best man”. He enjoyed seeing Jesus honored and was eager for all to look to the groom. Again, John knew his role. He was a “best man of God” to prepare for the Son of God to become the Bridegroom to his church.   
   Two times in two chapters John has used the wedding as a sign of the gospel. This illustrates the role of marriage in creation and the New Creation. Of all relationships on earth, God designed marriage to be the most committed, sacrificial and joyful union. See the commitment in G Genesis 2:23-24 “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman’ for she was taken out of man.” 24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.  Focus on the bridegrooms’ sacrifice in Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Then realize the bridegroom’s celebration joy in Revelation 19:7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 
   Since we ended the study of Luke with a focus on joy, isn’t it fascinating to see how often joy is expressed in John? Could it be the good news really is joyful news?
 
Prayer: May I awaken each day to joyfully know the Bridegroom is committed, sacrificial and joyful toward me. May I be the same to him. In Jesus’ name, amen.
  

John 3:25-28 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan – the one you testified about – well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” 27 To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’”
 
THE Baptist’s disciples conflicted with the Jews and with Jesus. First, some Jews had come to them to essentially ask, “Why should we be baptized by John?” They continued with their argument by saying, “We already have water purification rites in our law. Why should we be baptized? This is for Gentiles, isn’t it?” In addition to the Jews, there were also other splinter groups who practiced their own ceremonial washing. “What,” the wanted to know, “is the point of another ritual?”
   Second, Jesus’ new ministry seemed to be copying and replacing John’s. Why should this new rabbi, especially one John had baptized, baptize also? They expressed, it seems, frustration and jealousy that “everyone is going to him.” How many preaching, baptizing rabbis did the Jews need?
   Then the prophet responds to teach his disciples and us another valuable discipleship lesson. With, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.” John reminds his followers of his call. John’s ministry has happened because heaven has called him to it. Heaven – God – has not called him to minister in competition with Jesus but to be “a voice of one calling in the desert, “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” (Mark 1:3)
   John reminds his frustrated students to witness his submission, “I am not the Christ.” Change is among them, and they must be willing to follow the Messiah, not the prophet who pointed to him. John’s work has been a preparing work. His ministry is not about final things, but God called him to be both the final voice of the Old Testament prophets and the first voice of the Gospel. He has been appointed to be a messenger of things to come. Soon it will be time for him to leave. Until that day, he will continue baptizing to prepare the Jews for Jesus while he points the Jews to Jesus.
   As Jesus’ disciples now, we are always called to be beginning voices for people to hear of Jesus and his gospel. We may also be called to be the next disciple to continue a work another has begun. Wherever we find ourselves, we always point to Jesus.
 
Prayer: Than you, Spirit, for calling me to be Jesus’ disciple. I pray I know and am faithful to my place and purpose. Amen.

John 3:22-24 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.)
 
LET’S begin with Psalms 19:6-8 The sun rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.  making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 
   Do you see how this passage relates to today’s Scripture? When John writes, “Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.” he expresses the Son of God is on the move as the sun of the heavens. Jesus is not a king who sits on a throne and sends messengers to his people. He is the King who personally came heaven to teach, preach and witness God’s glory to his creation.
   His laws, precepts (teachings, principles), are trustworthy, reviving and joyful (See the joy again?). The Lord gives example for the gospel messengers who will follow his pathway some three years later as they go from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Jesus walked his earth to minister his grace, mercy and love. Indeed, The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 
   Note, too, how Jesus and John the Baptist are both at work. John will soon depart. The transition has begun. Yet, John keeps working because this is his anointing. The Lord’s presence increases the urgency of the Jews’ baptism of repentance. John is urgent to do all he can to prepare the Jews for their Messiah. He continues to be a good model for our Christian life.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for walking into the hills, valleys, farmland and streams of your earth. You are a personal Savior. Your truth radiates from heaven into my soul. Amen.

 

John 3:19-21 “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”
 
WE can become content in God’s Word, can’t we? In other words, we can read it with little consideration of its wonder, power and authority. Even here, as Jesus speaks of light and darkness, good versus evil, we have heard such teachings so often, we think, “I’ve heard that. I believe it.”
   But do we truly hear God’s Word here? John 3 is Jesus talking. Remember, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:1-3) We are reading the recorded words of our eternal God, Creator and Truth. “This is the verdict.” is not an indication of possible ideas to consider, but they are words that direct you to the Living Word’s absolute Truth. Everything he says has life-ending and life-forming authority. We must pay attention.
   Yes, “This is the verdict.” Indicates the Judge is speaking. Darkness is evil’s blanket. It covers our sin and shame. We hide in the shadows for fear that the Lord will see and others will know. We darkly deny wrong exists in our lives. We cannot bear the thought of being less than what God intends. Darkness keeps our soul from confession and submission. Out of the light we compromise what is right.
   In his love then, the Living Word has come to remove the dark. Jesus is preparing the world for the day he will come as the Son of Man to judge the earth. On that day, his light will expose all dark deeds of unrepentant souls.
   In contrast, whoever lives in the truth comes into the light. The faithful who confess, “I have sinned. Forgive me, Lord.” The Living Word will honor his faithful the saints – the true church – who have lived in Jesus’ true light. They will testify of the Lord’s salvation, so it “may be seen plainly that what (they have) done has been done through God”.
   We – God’s creation – have the great privilege to hear from the Living Word. I pray we open our Bibles with anticipation to hear the Lord’s holy teaching. May we honor God’s Word to consider it a privilege to receive the Light to mark our paths each day.
   This is about now. This is about forever. Pay attention and live.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for sending the Living Word to earth. I treasure the privilege of hearing you each time I open Scripture. Amen.

 

John 3:16-18 “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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” 
 
SOME believe that everyone will be saved to heaven, regardless of their beliefs and actions. As one commentator says, “It is theology of salvation by death.” To prove their point, those who believe in this universal salvation will sometimes quote John 3:16 For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son. They somehow think the “love and giving part” of John 3:16 is enough. Who needs the rest?
   Of course, far too many people do not know that every person on earth needs the rest of the verse if one is to be saved. Many pastors feel not only John 3:16 must be a favorite, most-remembered verse in the church, but this entire, three-verse passage must be memorized, taken to heart and spoken to teach of God’s salvation.
   The reasons are clear. First, see that Jesus twice speaks of who will be saved. “Whoever believes in him shall not perish.” And, “Whoever believes in him shall not stand condemned.” Salvation is not universal. It is conditional, granted to whoever believes in Jesus Christ as Lord. God’s love is demonstrated in this act of sending his only Son to die so that salvation is possible. With his deep, high, wide and long love, the Lord God effectively says, “Here is my Son. He has died that you may have life. Believe in him, and you will live with me forever.”
   Second, we need to say these three verses to teach the gospel because Jesus did. Why do we stop at the first half of 3:16? The Savior lovingly revealed the entire truth to Nicodemus. We must in love do the same for all.
   A third reason to say the three verses is to point out condemnation of the nonbeliever. I know, we don’t like this. But most of us do speak of punishment or conditions to our children or other groups we lead. We’ll say, “If you don’t obey me, you will be disciplined.” The Holy God has pure, righteous standards, my friends. We must let people know. If not, they may continue to live in the lie, “When I die, I will go to heaven regardless of what I believe or do.”
   This is the road of death. We have been commanded to give life.
 
Prayer: Teach me, Lord, to know, live and speak all your Scripture, so the world may know. Amen.  
 

John 3:13-15 “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven – the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
 
FOR the third time in three chapters, John points to Jesus’ divine nature. In John 1, Jesus is partnered with the Spirit’s life-giving power. In John 2, Jesus connects himself with “My Father’s house.” Here he identifies he is both present “in heaven” and “came from heaven”. Fully God and fully man, Jesus remains spiritually present in heaven while he exists in a mortal body. Jesus’ point to Nicodemus is to affirm his authority to speak of heaven. This is a continual controversy, as you can imagine, with the priests, Pharisees and Sadducees as Jesus teaches for three years. These earthly authorities will finally use Jesus’ divine authority claims to condemn him to the cross.
   Again, we see the truth and necessity of knowing the entire Bible. Jesus uses Old Testament imagery to help Nicodemus see Jesus’ divine nature. The reference to “Moses lifted up the snake in the desert” refers to Numbers 21:4-9. This records the story of the rebellious Israelites, who complained God wasn’t pleasing them. In response, God sent fiery serpents into their midst to judge them. To stop this “sin penalty”, God told Moses to lift a bronze serpent on a pole. Whoever looked at it would live. Whoever did not perished in their sin. This was an illustration of the cross to come.
   Thus, when Jesus said, “The Son of Man must be lifted up.” he referred to both the crucifixion and the exaltation of Jesus. “Must” points to God’s sovereign purpose to judge and save. Look to the cross in faith. Be saved. Ignore or despise the cross. Be condemned.
   Jesus also refers to himself as the “Son of Man”. This term comes from a vision in Daniel 7:13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” The Son of Man is under the authority of the Ancient of Days – the Lord God. Christ’s death on the cross, his resurrection, and ascension were accomplished in God’s sovereign authority. Jesus’ obedience revealed God’s glory when the Son of Man was lifted up.
   Here is the Word made flesh unveiling God’s Word. He demonstrates the detailed plan of a sovereign God to save the world from sin.
 
Prayer: Thank you, God, for the ways you reveal your Word to us. May we receive these remarkable teachings in Jesus’ name. Amen.