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The Genie or the List: John 14:1-14

Published August 21, 2024 in Written Journal Entries
Focus Passage: John 14:1-14 (CEV)

1 Jesus said to his disciples, “Don’t be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I wouldn’t tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. 3 After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together. 4 You know the way to where I am going.”

5 Thomas said, “Lord, we don’t even know where you are going! How can we know the way?”

6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life!” Jesus answered. “Without me, no one can go to the Father. 7 If you had known me, you would have known the Father. But from now on, you do know him, and you have seen him.”

8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need.”

9 Jesus replied:

Philip, I have been with you for a long time. Don’t you know who I am? If you have seen me, you have seen the Father. How can you ask me to show you the Father? 10 Don’t you believe that I am one with the Father and that the Father is one with me? What I say isn’t said on my own. The Father who lives in me does these things.

11 Have faith in me when I say that the Father is one with me and that I am one with the Father. Or else have faith in me simply because of the things I do. 12 I tell you for certain that if you have faith in me, you will do the same things that I am doing. You will do even greater things, now that I am going back to the Father. 13 Ask me, and I will do whatever you ask. This way the Son will bring honor to the Father. 14 I will do whatever you ask me to do.

Read John 14:1-14 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

I have often wondered about a phrase that we find in this journal entry’s passage. In the last paragraph and specifically in the last two verses, Jesus clearly states, “Ask me, and I will do whatever you ask. This way the Son will bring honor to the Father. I will do whatever you ask me to do.” (verses 13-14)

This phrase seems like a blank check that Jesus promises to each of us as His followers. On the surface, this seems like a no-strings-attached offer.

Like many of Jesus’ teachings, these two verses have often been used to paint Jesus (and God) as a genie in a bottle, here to grant whatever you wish for – though since God is better than a genie, there is no limit to the number of wishes we get.

However, on the other side, there are those who push back against this idea saying that this is not a limitless offer. Instead, we must ask for things off of a predetermined list of “God-approved” actions. “After all,” those using this argument say, “God wouldn’t murder someone if you asked Him to, and He has yet to answer your request for winning the lottery.”

There are big problems with both the genie view, as well as the list view. The genie view paints God as being impersonal, and subject to our will. Seeing God with genie-glasses makes God out to be lower than us, and that He simply exists to do our bidding. The list view also has problems, because it limits Jesus’ words. There is nothing Jesus says in this passage to even imply a limit to what He would do for us.

But there is one key ingredient that Jesus does give immediately before saying these words. Verses 11 and 12 have one big central theme: “Have faith in me when I say that the Father is one with me and that I am one with the Father. Or else have faith in me simply because of the things I do. I tell you for certain that if you have faith in me, you will do the same things that I am doing. You will do even greater things, now that I am going back to the Father.”

Three times in these two verses, Jesus says the phrase, “Have faith in Me”. Looking back to the very beginning of this passage, we also see the idea of faith being shared: “Don’t be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me.” (verse 1b)

In this context, faith doesn’t mean a religion or set of doctrines. In this case, it simply means “complete trust or confidence in someone or something”, and in this case, that Someone is Jesus, who is one with God.

So then what does Jesus’ promise to us mean?

Sandwiched in the middle of Jesus’ promise to us is the reason behind His promise. Jesus says that His actions “will bring honor to the Father”. This tells me that the goal of everything Jesus does is to bring honor to the Father. There is no limit to what we ask of Jesus, but Jesus will always answer us in a way that brings honor to the Father.

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

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Eating Jesus: John 6:22-59

Published August 20, 2024 in Written Journal Entries
Focus Passage: John 6:22-59 (NCV)

22 The next day the people who had stayed on the other side of the lake knew that Jesus had not gone in the boat with his followers but that they had left without him. And they knew that only one boat had been there. 23 But then some boats came from Tiberias and landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 When the people saw that Jesus and his followers were not there now, they got into boats and went to Capernaum to find Jesus.

25 When the people found Jesus on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Teacher, when did you come here?”

26 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you aren’t looking for me because you saw me do miracles. You are looking for me because you ate the bread and were satisfied. 27 Don’t work for the food that spoils. Work for the food that stays good always and gives eternal life. The Son of Man will give you this food, because on him God the Father has put his power.”

28 The people asked Jesus, “What are the things God wants us to do?”

29 Jesus answered, “The work God wants you to do is this: Believe the One he sent.”

30 So the people asked, “What miracle will you do? If we see a miracle, we will believe you. What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the desert. This is written in the Scriptures: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

32 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven; it is my Father who is giving you the true bread from heaven. 33 God’s bread is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 The people said, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

35 Then Jesus said, “I am the bread that gives life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you before, you have seen me and still don’t believe. 37 The Father gives me the people who are mine. Every one of them will come to me, and I will always accept them. 38 I came down from heaven to do what God wants me to do, not what I want to do. 39 Here is what the One who sent me wants me to do: I must not lose even one whom God gave me, but I must raise them all on the last day. 40 Those who see the Son and believe in him have eternal life, and I will raise them on the last day. This is what my Father wants.”

41 Some people began to complain about Jesus because he said, “I am the bread that comes down from heaven.” 42 They said, “This is Jesus, the son of Joseph. We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

43 But Jesus answered, “Stop complaining to each other. 44 The Father is the One who sent me. No one can come to me unless the Father draws him to me, and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 I tell you the truth, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread that gives life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but still they died. 50 Here is the bread that comes down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will never die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give up so that the world may have life.”

52 Then the evil people began to argue among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

53 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, you must eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood. Otherwise, you won’t have real life in you. 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day. 55 My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me, and I live in them. 57 The living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father. So whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 I am not like the bread your ancestors ate. They ate that bread and still died. I am the bread that came down from heaven, and whoever eats this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said all these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Read John 6:22-59 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

Of all the things Jesus told the crowds while He was alive, probably the craziest of them all would be statements that can really only be thought of as cannibalistic. According to John’s gospel, during a conversation Jesus has with a group of people who traveled a significant distance to find Him, Jesus says the following crazy and challenging statement, “I tell you the truth, you must eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood. Otherwise, you won’t have real life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day. My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me, and I live in them. The living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father. So whoever eats me will live because of me. I am not like the bread your ancestors ate. They ate that bread and still died. I am the bread that came down from heaven, and whoever eats this bread will live forever.” (v. 53-58)

While most people, myself included, believe Jesus to be symbolically pointing forward to the bread and wine within the Last Supper, without this context that comes at the close of Jesus’ ministry, there are not many other ways to understand Jesus words outside of the surface-level cannibalistic approach.

However, to set this statement up, John gives us a key detail that we might miss if we are not paying close attention. Immediately before Jesus shared these words, John tells us “Then the evil people began to argue among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’” (v. 52)

John describes those who were only looking at the surface level of Jesus’ statement as evil. In reality, the cannibalistic angle on these words was all they could see. Nowhere else in this passage are those who were present described as evil, and this distinction is important for us to pay attention to.

Throughout this entire conversation, Jesus wants to lead those present into putting their faith, trust, and belief onto Him – and for their belief in Him to be stronger than simply because He multiplied their meal the day before. Throughout this conversation, those present were being divided into two groups. One group was being drawn towards Jesus and they would ultimately put their faith in Him. The other group is the group that John describes as evil.

However, in setting up this challenging statement, John also shares something else that is interesting: the evil people argue among themselves. None of these people actually ask Jesus to clarify what He means. By arguing among themselves, this group moves further away from Jesus instead of humbly asking for clarification.

While I don’t fully understand what Jesus meant with these strong words, I do know that they were spoken to a group of people who had closed their hearts and minds off towards Jesus and God. Perhaps Jesus was trying to wake them up to the food metaphor, and He may have been trying to teach them the spiritual significance of the miracle of the food from the day before. However, their minds were closed and their hearts were evil, and they ultimately walk away instead of keeping the conversation going with more questions.

I don’t believe Jesus would have turned away an honest question from someone who wanted to understand better what He was saying. I just wish there was someone like this present in the crowd that day.

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

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Spiritual Loyalty: Matthew 10:16-42

Published August 16, 2024 in Written Journal Entries
Focus Passage: Matthew 10:16-42 (GNT)

16 “Listen! I am sending you out just like sheep to a pack of wolves. You must be as cautious as snakes and as gentle as doves. 17 Watch out, for there will be those who will arrest you and take you to court, and they will whip you in the synagogues. 18 For my sake you will be brought to trial before rulers and kings, to tell the Good News to them and to the Gentiles. 19 When they bring you to trial, do not worry about what you are going to say or how you will say it; when the time comes, you will be given what you will say. 20 For the words you will speak will not be yours; they will come from the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 “People will hand over their own brothers to be put to death, and fathers will do the same to their children; children will turn against their parents and have them put to death. 22 Everyone will hate you because of me. But whoever holds out to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, run away to another one. I assure you that you will not finish your work in all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 “No pupil is greater than his teacher; no slave is greater than his master. 25 So a pupil should be satisfied to become like his teacher, and a slave like his master. If the head of the family is called Beelzebul, the members of the family will be called even worse names!

26 “So do not be afraid of people. Whatever is now covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known. 27 What I am telling you in the dark you must repeat in broad daylight, and what you have heard in private you must announce from the housetops. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell. 29 For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. 30 As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows!

32 “Those who declare publicly that they belong to me, I will do the same for them before my Father in heaven. 33 But those who reject me publicly, I will reject before my Father in heaven.

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the world. No, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 I came to set sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law; 36 your worst enemies will be the members of your own family.

37 “Those who love their father or mother more than me are not fit to be my disciples; those who love their son or daughter more than me are not fit to be my disciples. 38 Those who do not take up their cross and follow in my steps are not fit to be my disciples. 39 Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake will gain it.

40 “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes God’s messenger because he is God’s messenger, will share in his reward. And whoever welcomes a good man because he is good, will share in his reward. 42 You can be sure that whoever gives even a drink of cold water to one of the least of these my followers because he is my follower, will certainly receive a reward.”

Read Matthew 10:16-42 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

During Jesus’ first commission to His disciple, He shares a brief idea about how spiritual loyalty works. On the surface, this idea sounds obvious, but even with all its obvious characteristics, this idea is often ignored. In His first message directly to His group of twelve followers after bringing them together as a group, Jesus includes the following big idea: “Those who declare publicly that they belong to me, I will do the same for them before my Father in heaven. But those who reject me publicly, I will reject before my Father in heaven.” (v. 32-33)

There are several layers of this truth that are worth paying attention to. The first is that this concept relates to public declarations. This is significant because while what we do in private for God is important, what we live, say, and do for God is even more important. If we live completely for God in private, but then live completely counter to God’s will in public, then we have missed the truth about discipleship.

Declaring our allegiance to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in public is rarely ever popular, but it is what Jesus says is important. This does not mean that we stand on a street corner with a bull horn declaring to everyone who is within earshot that we belong to Jesus, but instead that we don’t shy away from living our beliefs and siding with God’s plan for our lives even if others around us choose to live differently. Declaring publicly means that we let people know that Jesus is the reason for us living the way we do, whether this declaration is to a stadium full of people or to one or two friends we are with away from the crowds.

But if we have messed up and rejected Jesus publicly, have we closed the door to Jesus ever accepting us again? Not at all!

Jesus’ star disciple, Peter, is known for speaking before thinking, and this character trait got Peter in trouble more than the other disciples. Throughout all the gospels, Peter is the disciple who is known as the one who publicly rejected Jesus, not just once, but three times on the night of Jesus’ arrest. In this event, Peter is our example for what happens when someone who has followed Jesus chooses to publicly reject Him.

Following Jesus’ resurrection, we learn the answer: Jesus invites Peter to be His disciple again. (John 21:19)

For those who have messed up or fallen away from God and Jesus, the invitation is open to come back to Him. This invitation won’t always be open, because Jesus may return before we take the chance or our lives may end before we have made the decision. While the invitation is open, we would be wise to take Jesus up on it. When we publicly declare that we belong to Jesus, He will draw us to God and we will be saved for eternity. This declaration comes with a wiping away of our past sins, and it marks the beginning (or restart) of our live with God!

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

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Focused on Each Moment: Luke 15:11-32

Published August 14, 2024 in Written Journal Entries
Focus Passage: Luke 15:11-32 (NIV)

 11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
      “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

 28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

 31 “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

Read Luke 15:11-32 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

The parable of the Prodigal Son is one of the most famous of Jesus’ parables, but there is a part of it that I have never heard anyone address: The Father’s role in what happens.

Many scholars and teachers will point out that this parable is more about the Father’s role than it is about either of the two sons. I agree, but one thing bothers me about this parable when looking at it with God representing the “father” character: God orchestrates the entire course of events.

What I mean by this is that the younger son comes home, and the last thing he is looking for is a party. He was more hoping to be one of the servants. The older son would have completely agreed with the younger one.

But the Father character flips the tables. He honors the son that was not seeking honor, and he knows that this will bother the older brother.

This entire situation is orchestrated by the Father. God uses this as one additional example of those who seek honor being humbled, and those who humble themselves being honored. There are ample examples of Jesus’ sharing this truth in all four gospels.

Why does this bother me? I’m not sure, but perhaps it is because I can understand the older brother’s perspective. If I had stayed faithful to God, and it looked like He had displaced me for someone who had fallen away, I could easily understand having annoyed feelings. If I were in the older brother’s shoes, I would have been offended at the idea of the younger brother being given a feast of honor.

But the truth is that God wants the older brother, and all of us, to understand something deeper about Him – and His character. He is focused on the moment, and this moment holds the return of His lost son. In any moment with this event, would you expect a loving father to react any less?

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

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