Welcome to Cam’s Reflective Bible Study Journal

Cam’s Reflective Bible Study Journal is a blog/podcast where Cam, one of Reflective Bible Study's founders, shares things he has discovered from his time studying the Bible (usually from one or more of the four gospels).

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Redeeming Sinners: John 9:1-41

Published March 13, 2024 in Written Journal Entries
Focus Passage: John 9:1-41 (NLT)

1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”

3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. 7 He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!

8 His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!”

But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!”

10 They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?”

11 He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!”

12 “Where is he now?” they asked.

“I don’t know,” he replied.

13 Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, 14 because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. 15 The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!”

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them.

17 Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?”

The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.”

18 The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?”

20 His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind, 21 but we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 That’s why they said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”

24 So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.”

25 “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”

26 “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?”

27 “Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”

28 Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! 29 We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.”

30 “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. 32 Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.”

34 “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue.

35 When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

36 The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.”

37 “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!”

38 “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.

39 Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”

40 Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?”

41 “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.

Read John 9:1-41 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

Have you ever been rejected because of something true that you said?

Or looking from the opposite perspective, have you ever not been interested in hearing the truth about something?

In this passage, we find an amazing declaration about Jesus that is logically sound and true, and when it was shared, the reactions of those who heard it revealed the state of their hearts.

This man who was born blind, who Jesus healed, and who has been brought in for questioning a second time responds by saying, “We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but He is ready to hear those who worship Him and do His will. Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, He couldn’t have done it.” (verses 31-33)

This is a logically air-tight conclusion. Only God could have given Jesus this ability, and God does not listen to sinners but only to those who worship Him and do His will. Therefore, Jesus must be from God.

Truth polarizes people. The truth about Jesus polarizes people even more.

The Pharisees respond not against the argument the man gives, but against the man’s character and heart. They reveal their belief that God punishes the children of sinful parents, and that these sinful children are trapped in their sin – never to be saved out of it.

However, this is a complete distortion of God’s character. Regardless of whether the formerly blind man was a complete sinner from birth or not, this does not change the logic and the miracle that took place. It would not be a stretch in my mind to think that Jesus set up this entire event with someone who the Pharisees already hated, just to teach the truth that God loves all people.

Jesus loves sinners. Jesus loves pointing sinners to God. Jesus loves redeeming sinners.

The Pharisees had a worldview and belief that said that sinners cannot be saved and their sins will forever keep them out of God’s presence. Jesus counters by saying that God loves sinners, and He came to take their sin upon Himself and show them a better way forward.

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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The Reason for a Fourth Gospel: John 20:24-31

Published March 12, 2024 in Written Journal Entries
Focus Passage: John 20:24-31 (CEV)

24 Although Thomas the Twin was one of the twelve disciples, he wasn’t with the others when Jesus appeared to them. 25 So they told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But Thomas said, “First, I must see the nail scars in his hands and touch them with my finger. I must put my hand where the spear went into his side. I won’t believe unless I do this!”

26 A week later the disciples were together again. This time, Thomas was with them. Jesus came in while the doors were still locked and stood in the middle of the group. He greeted his disciples 27 and said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands! Put your hand into my side. Stop doubting and have faith!”

28 Thomas replied, “You are my Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said, “Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? The people who have faith in me without seeing me are the ones who are really blessed!”

30 Jesus worked many other miracles for his disciples, and not all of them are written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in him, you will have true life.

Read John 20:24-31 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

Of the four records of Jesus’ life that are included in the Bible, John’s gospel is the most unique. While the other gospel writers seem to follow a similar path through Jesus’ life, and while they share many similar events, John’s gospel paints a different picture of Jesus, and John gives us insight into many events that the other gospel writers either didn’t know about, or ones they chose not to include.

Near the end of his gospel, John tells us the reason for his unique record of Jesus’ life. At the end of the second-to-last chapter, John tells us what prompted him to write his gospel, and the filter he used for choosing what events to include. John tells us, “Jesus worked many other miracles for his disciples, and not all of them are written in this book. But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in him, you will have true life.” (v. 30-31)

The filter John used when writing his gospel is that he chose events from Jesus’ life that help people see Jesus as Someone worthy of their faith. John’s goal was to paint a picture of Jesus, using events from Jesus’ ministry, where faith and belief are present, and it seems like the events John chose include both subtle examples of faith in among some not so subtle examples as well. John’s goal is helping his reader place his/her trust in Jesus because of what happened, and with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, John succeeds in this goal.

While the other gospels aim to preserve a record of Jesus’ life, John’s gospel aims to not only preserve a record, but John also wants to inspire the reader into making a decision for Jesus by the end of his book. Through his gospel, John has inspired more followers of Jesus than any other method throughout history. John’s impact on the Christian church really cannot be measured because most Christians who have lived since the first century have based their belief on at least one of the events in his gospel.

Reading John’s goal for his gospel also gives us the reason that most skeptics want to push John’s gospel aside. Skeptics really dislike John because through his testimony, we learn of a Jesus who is trustworthy, loving, and caring, and we see a picture of a God who is willing to move heaven and earth to restore a relationship with Him. John’s gospel, more than any of the other three, describes a God who desires a connection with us.

John’s gospel was written to help you and I place our faith and belief in Jesus. This means that when we read this gospel, we shouldn’t be surprised if we find examples we can use to strengthen our faith in Him!

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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Flashback Episode — Choosing Jesus: Mark 4:35-41

Published March 11, 2024 in Audio Journal Entries

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One thing that amazes me as we move through Mark’s gospel is how Mark races through Jesus’ story, and how many of the events that we think of as being later on in Jesus’ life come early in Mark’s record of Jesus’ life. While this might be simply because Mark has fewer chapters than the other three gospels, it is also possible this just seems to be the case since Mark doesn’t devote several chapters at the beginning to Jesus’ birth story.

However, regardless of the reason, we come to an event Mark includes that completely shifts the disciples’ perspective at that point. This event comes after Jesus has finished preaching to the crowds all day.

Our passage for this episode is found in the gospel of Mark, chapter 4, and we will read from the God’s Word translation. Starting in verse 35, Mark tells us:

35 That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side.”

36 Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus along in a boat just as he was. Other boats were with him.

37 A violent windstorm came up. The waves were breaking into the boat so that it was quickly filling up. 38 But he was sleeping on a cushion in the back of the boat.

So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to die?”

39 Then he got up, ordered the wind to stop, and said to the sea, “Be still, absolutely still!” The wind stopped blowing, and the sea became very calm.

40 He asked them, “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith yet?”

41 They were overcome with fear and asked each other, “Who is this man? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”

This event challenged the disciples on an entirely new level. If prior to this point, the disciples simply believed Jesus to be a significant teacher and healer, this event amplified their impression of who Jesus was and what Jesus was capable of.

When I say this, it is interesting in my mind because up to this point, the disciples likely had a similar impression of Jesus as the religious leaders. Both of these opposite groups believed Jesus to be a gifted speaker and a skilled healer. However, while the religious leaders disliked Jesus because of what He taught and what He did, the disciples had allied themselves with Jesus.

It is interesting too that this mirrors what many people believe today. Of those willing to admit that there was a historical figure known as Jesus Christ, many believe Him to be only a significant teacher or perhaps a skilled healer. Another group willing to admit that Jesus Christ was a historical figure say they believe He was God’s Messiah, but they stop there, not willing to accept what this actually means. In contrast to both these groups, only a small number actually accept Jesus as God’s Messiah, including what this actually means.

The event we just finished reading polarizes these groups of people. Some people will simply reject this event as fiction. Others, while admitting that Jesus lived and storms like what we just read about in this passage happened on the sea like this regularly, will say that this event was simply a fluke or a convenient coincidence. The reason this event polarizes people is that if we decide, like a minority of people, to accept that Jesus can command the weather, this makes Jesus God, and it is difficult to accept the idea that God is actually interested in us to the point that He would become one of us.

Understanding how God the Creator can choose to become a part of His creation is impossible for me to comprehend, but this is what the Bible describes in Jesus. With this event, we are forced to accept Jesus for being more than simply a teacher or healer, or to reject Jesus’ significance entirely.

When reading this event, it is interesting in my mind because the disciples do not ask Jesus for a miracle. Instead, the disciples wake Jesus up with the belief that this is their last night alive. The disciples had concluded that there was no way they were making it through this storm alive. When waking Jesus up, these disciples ask Him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to die?”

In this question, there isn’t any indication or faith that Jesus can do anything for them except help them pitch water from the boat. I don’t know if Jesus had a hint of irritation in His voice regarding the disciples or regarding being woken up, but when Jesus commanded the wind and waves to stop, according to this passage, the effect was instantaneous.

Jesus then turns and challenges the disciples, calling them cowards and calling out their lack of faith. The disciples lack of faith is evidenced in how they ask themselves who Jesus really is. By questioning how a man could command the wind and the sea, these disciples are at a crossroads in their belief. These disciples must make a choice between believing Jesus is more than simply a religious teacher and healer, and whether He truly is the Messiah, the Son of God.

Also in this passage is another amazing truth that I want to focus our attention on. The only reason this storm was so bad was because Satan wanted to end Jesus’ life before He reached the other side of the lake, and especially before Jesus was able to face the cross. The truth we can discover in this passage related to this idea is that Satan caused storms are no match for Jesus’ command.

When Satan brings a storm into our life, or when he tries to amplify challenges or temptations in our minds, we should lean on Jesus’ promises and Jesus’ commands because the best Satan can come up with to challenge us is no match for Jesus. The best, scariest storm Satan could muster ended the instant Jesus spoke. When deciding who we should align our lives with, the clear choice is Jesus. He has the power to help us face anything Satan wants to throw our way!

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, intentionally seek God first in your life and choose to place your faith, hope, trust, and belief in Jesus as God’s Son and as our Messiah. Remember that anything Satan tries to throw at us is no match for Jesus, and in every case where Jesus steps in to face Satan head on, Jesus wins clearly and easily. Choose to align your life with Jesus.

Also, continue praying and studying the Bible for yourself to learn and grow closer to God and Jesus each day. Choose to spend time praying and studying to grow personally closer to God and to fall in love with Him like He has fallen in love with you. Discover in the pages of the Bible, a God who gives up everything for you and me!

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!

Flashback Episode: Year in Mark – Episode 11: Discover some amazing truths we can learn when looking at one time Jesus calms the storm, and how this event challenges us regarding who Jesus really is!

Leading Us Into Truth: John 16:5-15

Published March 8, 2024 in Written Journal Entries
Focus Passage: John 16:5-15 (NCV)

5 Now I am going back to the One who sent me. But none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Your hearts are filled with sadness because I have told you these things. 7 But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go away. When I go away, I will send the Helper to you. If I do not go away, the Helper will not come. 8 When the Helper comes, he will prove to the people of the world the truth about sin, about being right with God, and about judgment. 9 He will prove to them that sin is not believing in me. 10 He will prove to them that being right with God comes from my going to the Father and not being seen anymore. 11 And the Helper will prove to them that judgment happened when the ruler of this world was judged.

12 “I have many more things to say to you, but they are too much for you now. 13 But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth. He will not speak his own words, but he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is to come. 14 The Spirit of truth will bring glory to me, because he will take what I have to say and tell it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take what I have to say and tell it to you.

Read John 16:5-15 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

If you ever thought Jesus wanted to say more to the disciples, John tells us that on the night He was betrayed, during a conversation Jesus has with His remaining followers a few hours before He would be arrested, Jesus says this exact thing. But instead of leaving His followers hanging, Jesus offers them hope about being able to learn this truth in the future. The time for them to know was not before the events, because the disciples were not ready for the truth.

In this conversation, immediately following His description of what the Holy Spirit’s role, Jesus tells them, “I have many more things to say to you, but they are too much for you now.” (v. 12)

It seems as though Jesus wants to open up completely with the disciples and share with them all of what He knows, but Jesus also knows that most of what He wants to share would not be understood by the disciples. The information would be too much for them on the front end of the weekend. But Jesus doesn’t leave them hanging without a promise or hope for learning the truth. Instead, He describes a way for them to learn the truth He wanted to tell them in person but couldn’t, and this way is through the Helper – one of the names given to the Holy Spirit.

In the next few verses, Jesus describes what the Holy Spirit would do for them. Jesus has already described the overall mission of the Holy Spirit, and now He narrows the focus and shares what the Holy Spirit will do for each of His followers. Jesus tells them, “But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth. He will not speak his own words, but he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is to come. The Spirit of truth will bring glory to me, because he will take what I have to say and tell it to you. All that the Father has is mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take what I have to say and tell it to you.” (v. 13-15)

In this set of verses, Jesus describes how the Holy Spirit will pick up where He left off and continue teaching the disciples. Just like Jesus walked through life with the Holy Spirit leading Him, Jesus describes that His followers should walk through life with this mindset as well.

Not only do we see the truth about God sending the Holy Spirit to help His followers in these verses, but we also can see a beautiful picture of how each member of the Godhead submits to the others. The Holy Spirit submits to God the Father and Jesus by only speaking what He hears. God the Father submits by giving everything He has to the Son. And Jesus has submitted through simply being present in this place as a human. Each member of the Godhead fulfills their role through submitting to the other members.

When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, He will lead us into all truth. This truth will affect our knowledge, our character, and our actions. The truth the Holy Spirit will reveal to us is life transforming. This truth will bring glory to Jesus and God the Father, and this truth is only possible because of what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross!

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!

Subscribe to this blog and never miss an insight.