Reflective Bible Study Gospel Adventure

Eternal Life and God’s Glory: John 17:1-26

Published July 3, 2026 in Written Journal Entries

Focus Passage: John 17:1-26 (CEV)

¹After Jesus had finished speaking to his disciples, he looked up toward heaven and prayed:

Father, the time has come for you to bring glory to your Son, in order that he may bring glory to you. ²And you gave him power over all people, so that he would give eternal life to everyone you give him. ³Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent. ⁴I have brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you gave me to do. ⁵Now, Father, give me back the glory that I had with you before the world was created.

⁶You have given me some followers from this world, and I have shown them what you are like. They were yours, but you gave them to me, and they have obeyed you. ⁷They know that you gave me everything I have. ⁸I told my followers what you told me, and they accepted it. They know that I came from you, and they believe that you are the one who sent me. ⁹I am praying for them, but not for those who belong to this world. My followers belong to you, and I am praying for them. ¹⁰All that I have is yours, and all that you have is mine, and they will bring glory to me.

¹¹Holy Father, I am no longer in the world. I am coming to you, but my followers are still in the world. So keep them safe by the power of the name that you have given me. Then they will be one with each other, just as you and I are one. ¹²While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost, except the one who had to be lost. This happened so that what the Scriptures say would come true.

¹³I am on my way to you. But I say these things while I am still in the world, so that my followers will have the same complete joy that I do. ¹⁴I have told them your message. But the people of this world hate them, because they don’t belong to this world, just as I don’t.

¹⁵Father, I don’t ask you to take my followers out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one. ¹⁶They don’t belong to this world, and neither do I. ¹⁷Your word is the truth. So let this truth make them completely yours. ¹⁸I am sending them into the world, just as you sent me. ¹⁹I have given myself completely for their sake, so that they may belong completely to the truth.

²⁰I am not praying just for these followers. I am also praying for everyone else who will have faith because of what my followers will say about me. ²¹I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us. Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me.

²²I have honored my followers in the same way that you honored me, in order that they may be one with each other, just as we are one. ²³I am one with them, and you are one with me, so that they may become completely one. Then this world’s people will know that you sent me. They will know that you love my followers as much as you love me.

²⁴Father, I want everyone you have given me to be with me, wherever I am. Then they will see the glory that you have given me, because you loved me before the world was created. ²⁵Good Father, the people of this world don’t know you. But I know you, and my followers know that you sent me. ²⁶I told them what you are like, and I will tell them even more. Then the love that you have for me will become part of them, and I will be one with them.

Read John 17:1-26 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

On the night that Jesus was arrested, as the disciples were talking and walking to the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus pauses to pray an amazing prayer to the Father. While this isn’t like Jesus’ model prayer, we can see this prayer as an example of the type of prayers Jesus prayed.

John opens by telling us, “After Jesus had finished speaking to his disciples, he looked up toward heaven and prayed” (v. 1a)

Jesus had finished sharing with the disciples what He wanted them to know, and now He would turn His attention and focus towards the Father. Jesus opens His prayer by saying, “Father, the time has come for you to bring glory to your Son, in order that he may bring glory to you. And you gave him power over all people, so that he would give eternal life to everyone you give him. Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent. I have brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you gave me to do. Now, Father, give me back the glory that I had with you before the world was created.” (v. 1b-5)

Here in the garden, Jesus’ prayer begins by centering on the idea of glory. But while we might think of glory being something that gets placed on a pedestal and is protected and cherished, the context of Jesus’ words imply a different sort of lifting up. Jesus was about to receive glory from the Father, and this glory would be displayed through His being lifted up on the cross.

Jesus was lifted up, and the cross He was crucified on has become a symbol for Christians everywhere that demonstrates God’s love for us by reminding us of Jesus’ sacrifice.

But also tucked away in this opening to Jesus’ prayer is a working definition of eternal life. Jesus says here in His prayer that, “Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent.” (v. 3)

Those of us who choose eternal life by choosing Jesus are choosing a life where we will forever spend time moving closer towards God and Jesus. If we have any reservations about God, or if we are fearful of Him, then heaven would not be a good place for us and eternal life would be torturous.

This is why I believe our life on earth, in addition to helping share the good news about what Jesus did for us, should be about growing a relationship with God as best we can here on earth. If we choose to focus on strengthening our relationship with God in this life, the focus of our next life will only be more of what is natural to us today.

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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High Cost, Higher Reward: Luke 14:25-35

Published July 2, 2026 in Audio Journal Entries

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One thing Jesus seemed to push back against in His ministry was the popularity trap. This trap is a trap for our egos and it happens when we know there are others following us. The bigger the group of followers results in the bigger the trap.

Jesus didn’t mind people following Him; He had even invited a dozen people specifically to follow. However, the size of the crowd following Jesus was also a sign of the sincerity of the following. Whenever the crowds seemed to get too big for Jesus, He would challenge them in some way that would subtly disperse those present.

As I say this, I wonder if this was because He didn’t want to attract too much Roman attention because it would affect His mission to those in Judea.

The parable-illustration in the passage we are looking at focuses in on one of these challenges Jesus uses to disperse the crowds. While it might seem like a strong statement for Jesus to make, the message Jesus shares is a challenge for everyone who calls themselves a follower of Jesus.

Our passage is found in Luke’s gospel, chapter 14, and we will be reading from the New International Version of the Bible. Starting in verse 25, Luke tells us that:

²⁵Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ²⁶“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. ²⁷And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

²⁸“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? ²⁹For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, ³⁰saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

³¹“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³²If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. ³³In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

³⁴“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? ³⁵It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

In this passage and illustration, Jesus clearly lays out the cost of being a disciple. From how Luke introduces us to Jesus’ words, and from what Jesus challenges those present with, it would appear that many in the crowd were following Jesus because they simply wanted to be near the popular person. These people likely enjoyed seeing miracles and hearing Jesus successfully win challenges that the religious leaders tried to discredit Him with. In the crowd’s eyes, Jesus was a celebrity and everything He did was God inspired entertainment.

But this is a problem. Jesus did not come to entertain us. Jesus came to give His life for us to redeem us from sin. There is a huge difference!

When deciding whether we should follow God or not, Jesus challenges us to count the cost. The cost of following Jesus is stated in verses 26 and 27: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

The cost of following Jesus is everything. This includes every “thing” we own, every relationship we have, every breath we take, and every challenge and trial that comes our way. If we are not 100% committed to Jesus, then we cannot be His disciple according to this passage.

Does this passage really teach us to hate our own family after we decide to follow Jesus?

This is what this passage appears to say on the surface. The challenge with the surface level understanding of this statement is that many of those we are challenged to hate are people God specifically brought into our lives. God brought us into the lives of our parents and our siblings, He directed the circumstances towards our finding a spouse, and He brought children into our lives. Everyone who is in our lives is in our lives because of God in some way, shape, or form.

Instead, I believe it is more correct to believe Jesus challenges us to count the true cost of being one of His followers. If we are to truly follow Jesus, we must put Jesus ahead of any and every other person in our lives. This means that if our decision to follow Jesus is met with disappointment from our parents, hostility from our spouse, and/or resentment from our children, then we should hold fast to our decision because the life Jesus has called us to is greater than we could imagine. If those in our lives don’t understand this, then they are breaking their relationship with us.

We are called to count the cost and if we determine the cost is worth it, we should choose Jesus over anyone and everyone else in our lives. This seems like a steep cost. What is the benefit that would ever outweigh this in our lives?

When we choose to follow Jesus, He offers us a new family, a family with God as our Father. Jesus offers us a place at God’s table in a new heaven and a new earth that doesn’t include pain, death, or sin. Jesus offers us a second chance at life when our first lives here in this earth have been messed up by sin.

Jesus does challenge us to give up some seemingly important things in our lives, but the rewards He offers to us extend into eternity.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always challenge you to do, be sure to intentionally seek God first in your life. If you have not made the decision to follow Jesus, or if you believe the cost is too high, I invite you to take your worries, your fears, and your concerns to God in prayer and ask Him to help you understand both the risk and the rewards of choosing Jesus. Choosing Jesus doesn’t mean we will have an easy life in a sinful world, but it does mean we will be prepared for a perfect life in a sinless world when Jesus returns!

Also, as I always challenge you to do, continue praying and studying the Bible for yourself to purposefully grow your relationship with God. Through prayer and studying the Bible, we can open our hearts to Jesus and we can let Him into our lives. As I regularly remind and challenge you to do, don’t let me or anyone else get between you and your relationship with God. While I can give you great things to think about, I want more than anything else that you take what I share with you and discover it for yourself through prayer and Bible study. God wants a relationship with you personally and directly, and I’m more than willing to help if you need help!

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or abandon where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

Year of Parables – Episode 27: When Jesus challenged those in the crowd following Him that they must hate their own family when coming to Him, does He really want us to hate those in our family? Discover what Jesus wanted those in the crowd to realize and this truth is just as relevant for us living today as it was for those in the first century.

Join the discussion. Share your thoughts on this passage.

Choosing Peace: Luke 14:25-35

Published July 1, 2026 in Written Journal Entries

Focus Passage: Luke 14:25-35 (TNIV)

²⁵ Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even life itself—such a person cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

²⁸ “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? ²⁹ For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, ³⁰ saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

³¹ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³² If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. ³³ In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

³⁴ “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? ³⁵ It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Read Luke 14:25-35 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

When reading this passage, I notice something interesting. Within Jesus’ examples of planning ahead, He includes the idea of a king receiving news that an army is headed his way with 20,000 soldiers. This king only has 10,000 soldiers and has to decide whether to fight or send a delegation asking for terms of peace.

In this example we see two contrasting ideas, and how we have the choice between these two options. We do not have the choice to avoid challenges, but we have the option of fighting – usually an uphill battle – with the chance of succeeding, or we can voluntarily submit to the challenge which leads us down the road of peace. In a battle, there are usually clear winners and clear losers, though one might argue that both sides lose in an adversarial situation such as this.

The problem with the battle option is that once one side has been declared the loser, they usually don’t experience peace, but instead bitterness, hostility, and/or anger as well as the desire for revenge.

However, voluntary submission, or at least being open to the idea, can lead to true peace, because through great communication we are often able to declare that both sides win. It is only when we are able to help the other side win in a way that we are also benefited that true peace can take place – and this is much harder to accomplish after one has chosen the “fight” option.

When challenges come your way, are you more likely to fight to win, or voluntarily submit to the challenge as a way forward to peace?

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Seeing God’s Character through His Blessings: Matthew 5:1-12

Published June 30, 2026 in Written Journal Entries

Focus Passage: Matthew 5:1-12 (GW)

¹When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up a mountain and sat down. His disciples came to him, ²and he began to teach them:

³“Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually helpless.
    The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
⁴Blessed are those who mourn.
    They will be comforted.
⁵Blessed are those who are gentle.
    They will inherit the earth.
⁶Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for God’s approval.
    They will be satisfied.
⁷Blessed are those who show mercy.
    They will be treated mercifully.
⁸Blessed are those whose thoughts are pure.
    They will see God.
⁹Blessed are those who make peace.
    They will be called God’s children.
¹⁰Blessed are those who are persecuted for doing what God approves of.
    The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

¹¹“Blessed are you when people insult you,
    persecute you,
        lie, and say all kinds of evil things about you because of me.
¹²Rejoice and be glad because you have a great reward in heaven!
    The prophets who lived before you were persecuted in these ways.

Read Matthew 5:1-12 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

At the opening of His famous “Sermon on the Mount”, Jesus shares a list of blessings and He ties each blessing to a lifestyle and/or a character quality. For many years, I believed Jesus was sharing different blessings to different groups of people, and the conclusion in my mind was that someone could only be a part of one, maybe two, groups.

But as I looked closer at Jesus’ list, I realized that this list of blessings describes those who God wants to bless in specific ways. This list also describes a way of life that is different from the common culture during any and every period in earth’s history following the fall of Adam and Eve.

In the nine blessings Jesus shares, we see a picture of God’s love and a picture of how He interacts with us, and as I read this list, I see a progression in the order of the blessings.

Opening the list of blessings is a blessing for “those who recognize they are spiritually helpless.” The reward is God’s kingdom of heaven. This reward is entirely based on the truth that we are fallen from perfection, and we cannot live spiritual lives without God’s help. (v. 3)
Next is a blessing for “those who mourn.” People who are going through a difficult time or who have experienced loss are people who God wants to wrap His arms around and comfort. The world is a painful place, and God is not interested in sitting on the sidelines. He wants to comfort those who mourn. (v. 4)
Third comes a blessing for “those who are gentle.” Jesus says their reward is inheriting the earth. While this sounds backwards, since it seems like the world is run by the least gentle people imaginable in most cases, Jesus may be referring to the recreated, sinless “new heaven and earth”. The people who ultimately receive the earth after sin has been destroyed will be known as “those who are gentle.” (v. 5)
Following this is a blessing for “those who hunger and thirst for God’s approval.” Jesus says they will be blessed by being satisfied. This is another challenging idea for some, because if we feel we never are measuring up to what God wants from us, we will never feel as though He approves of us. However, Jesus came and His life met God’s standard, and Jesus offers His life to each of us. Through Jesus, we are approved by God and we can be satisfied. (v. 6)
Half way through this list is a blessing for “those who show mercy.” The reward for those who give mercy to others is that they will receive mercy – maybe not from some people, but ultimately from God. Like a parable where a servant is forgiven a massive debt and the expectation is he would pay the forgiveness forward, God’s people have been shown amazing mercy, and we are to pay-it-forward by living a life where we give mercy generously. (v. 7)
The sixth blessing is one for “those whose thoughts are pure.” The blessing they receive is simple: they get to see God. While this is obvious when we take a new heaven and new earth perspective, I wonder if it may also be true in the present world. I wonder if those whose thoughts are pure will be able to recognize God’s movement and what He is doing while those who have evil thoughts are blind to God’s presence and movement. (v. 8)
As we near the end of the list, we find the seventh blessing is one for “those who make peace.” These people will be called God’s children. What is amazing to me about this blessing is it supports a God who is filled with love more than a god who is interested in war. The future God has in mind is one that is filled with peace, and only those who are willing and able to live peacefully will be able to join God’s family as children. This doesn’t mean we must be peaceful before we come to God, but it does mean we must let God work and create peaceful living within our hearts. (v. 9)
Second to last is a blessing for “those who are persecuted for doing what God approves of.” Like the first group, these people will be blessed by receiving God’s kingdom. This is a promise to us that heaven is in our future when we do what God approves of – and it is something secular culture will never understand. This blessing helps keep us focused on what matters most – which is doing what God approves of, and it helps us remember heaven is our true home! (v. 10)
Finishing off the list is a blessing that echoes the previous one while taking a slightly different approach. While all the blessings have been directed at “third-party” groups, Jesus finishes off the list talking directly to those present and those of us who are reading His words. Jesus says, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, lie, and say all kinds of evil things about you because of me. Rejoice and be glad because you have a great reward in heaven! The prophets who lived before you were persecuted in these ways.” This last blessing takes the focus off of being on “someone else” and it directs the focus onto you and me. (v. 11-12)

In these blessings, we see God’s character through how He blesses those who are living within His will for their lives.

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