Two ideas stand out in this passage. John wrote several words to describe people speaking. We saw an earlier theme of conversations within Jesus’ ministry. Related, John also included a couple different terms to convey the thought of understanding, perception beyond what people see and know on the surface. This…
When I studied words in this passage, the word “speak” and its different forms stood out. John’s record allows us to listen in on a real-time conversation Jesus had with an individual and her acquaintances. John used five different words that relate to speaking, and one word he used four…
This week, we see God at work in one individual’s life, even as John’s narrative sets the stage for future opposition in response to Jesus’ invitation to all. Read John 4:1-9. John clarified Jesus was not baptizing—only his disciples. The Pharisees heard Jesus was gaining popularity, which sets the stage…
Even though January feels like the longest month, it offers encouragement. When I read the time and date site1 for our area, we’ve gained 15 minutes of daylight since I posted last week. With sun instead of clouds, it feels like much more. Enough time has passed since the holidays…
The Word was God. This year, I spent Christmas Eve with my son and his family. His wife’s friend, an unbeliever, joined us for dinner after church, although she didn’t attend service with us. She led the conversation by asking kindly about the service. Then she wanted to know the…
Last week we read about God’s purposes in judgment, which also show us more of His character. In the second part of chapter 21, God described His sword of judgment and its role in disciplining His children. Read Ezekiel 21:8-12. God told Ezekiel, “Son of man,” to prophesy regarding Israel….
In this world of imperfect people, perhaps you need a fresh outpouring of love this day. A little afterglow to Christmas. This weekly Thursday blog post falls today, the day after Christmas. God’s Christmas gift to all of us is the fourth advent candle: love. Because we have the first…