Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Thought for the Day: From Bad to Good News
The first words of Jesus in Mark’s gospel are: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel [the good news] (1:15). We need to repent because we are living in a state of sin outside the presence of God. Genesis describes this state of sin and the human condition. After expelling Adam and Eve from Eden, the Bible records a worsening state of affairs. The first human born of humans, Cain, kills his younger brother, Able, in jealous anger because God preferred Able’s offering to Cain’s. Several generations later Genesis 6:5 states, The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. God’s response is to wipe off all human beings from the planet, except for Noah and his family, and begin again. After warning them that “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image,” God restates the command to Noah that he gave to Adam: “be fruitful and multiply, teem on the earth and multiply in it.”
To teem on the earth means to fill and subdue it—a simple command, but a command that is quickly ignored. In Genesis 11 people are gathering together in a city to build a tower with its top in the heavens rather than teeming and filling the earth. They are building a name for themselves rather than honoring God. The tower and the city are manifestations of the sins of pride and security. God’s response is to come down to see what the children of man have built. By children of man the Bible means children of Adam. As Adam and Eve rebelled against God, so are their descendants. God will not let them unite in one language, culture, and nation. Instead spreads them over the face of the planet with multiple languages, cultures, and nations. What he commanded humanity to do, he now does for them.
These descendants will continue sinning throughout the Old Testament. Even the heroes of the Old Testament—Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon, Elijah, and Jeremiah—are all sinners. The biblical record makes no attempt to hide their sins. King David says of humanity in Psalm 14:2-3, The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. Solomon, his son, acknowledges this truth in his prayer dedicating the Temple, saying, for there is no one who does not sin. The prophet Jeremiah describes the human condition in 17:9, saying The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it. And to quote Jesus further on in Mark’s gospel (7:21-23): For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.
If you review Jesus’ list, you will find that you have done something on it. You have followed in the family line of Adam, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and David. And if you are defiled, then you need cleaning like they need cleaning—not cleaning on the outside but cleaning on the inside. If you haven’t noticed, everyone needs cleaning. According to Jesus, there is a problem deep within our very nature. The good news we are to believe in? He is going to do something about it.
Self-examination, repentance, prayer, and worship:
Before you pray, take some time to reflect on your faith. Perhaps there are areas of doubt that are bothering you. Speak honestly to the Lord about these doubts and ask him to increase your faith by strengthening you with his truth, and then pray a prayer like the following:
O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light rises up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what you would have us to do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, guiding us into all truth, and that in your light we may see light, and in your straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord,. Amen.
Spend time in further prayer and worship before studying the Gospel of John below.
Study: John 3:22-36, John the Baptist Exalts Christ
22After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24(for John had not yet been put in prison).
25Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him." 27John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.' 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
31 “He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
Reflection Questions:
1) John the Baptist declares that whoever receives Jesus’ testimony understands the truth of God because Jesus utters the words of God. How does John know this?
2) What is the connection between eternal life and belief in Jesus? Is universal salvation—meaning that everyone is saved—possible?
No comments:
Post a Comment