Sunday we will begin our study of John 9, Jesus’ healing a blind man. The blind walk in darkness as a physical reality. Here the physical reality is used to demonstrate the spiritual blindness that Jesus has been discussing with the Jewish leaders. The text uses physical blindness to teach a spiritual truth regarding faith in Jesus. The young man is fundamentally changed and nothing can assail his faith, not even being excommunicated from his religious community.

We’ll start at the end of the chapter, where Jesus says, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” The remaining Pharisees ask Jesus, “Are we also blind?” Jesus’ answer is sobering, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.”

As a reader, we are challenged to ask the question, “Can I see or am I blind?” If your “seeing” is faith in Jesus, then you stand in the grace and forgiveness of God. If you believe you can see without Christ, then you stand outside his grace.

As you prepare to worship, read John 9 and consider what it means to be spiritually blind.

In our text for Sunday, Jesus challenges the identity his audience has built. Fundamentally, their identity was built outside of the identity communicated to them from God. Their ancestral and religious identity blinded them to who they were as sinners in need of rescue from God. They were confident that they were Abraham’s children, while ignoring the fact that Abraham “rejoiced to see” Jesus’ descent. They were confident that God himself was their Father, while blind to the murderous intent in their hearts. So when their confidence is challenged, they accuse and diminish Jesus. This is identity defense!

Jesus warns them that the identity they defend is actually built on the lies and desires of a greater evil, the Deceiver, Satan. He is the “father of lies,” whose efforts to suppress and eradicate the truth are fueled by his evil desire for his own glory. That subtle desire for glory motivates our own identity creation within our community.

Only Jesus can rescue us from the deception of this greater evil maker. So as you prepare to worship Sunday, consider your own identity. What would it mean to have an identity change?

As we move through John 8, Jesus has a fascinating conversation with the Pharisees. They ask Jesus, “Who are you?” They question his identity because he asserts that he knows where he is from and where he is going. They are able to define their origin, “We are offspring of Abraham,” but they cannot define their future. Jesus tells them where they are going, “unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” 

Why are we so locked in to our sense of self? Our family and community do so much to shape our identity that we can’t see who we are in relation to God. The Pharisees were blind to their condition, unable to see their spiritual enslavement to sin. We’re no different!

Come Sunday and consider the freedom Christ offers us.

Sunday we will move back into our study of the gospel of John. Remember that John wants you to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, so that you can have eternal life (Jn. 20:31). As an author, John uses the dialogue between Jesus and others to communicate the essentials of faith in God. The dialogue challenges our view of “self” and exposes our need of Jesus.

In our text, Jesus says that anyone who follows him will no longer walk in darkness. In order to move toward Jesus, a person has to understand that they are actually walking in darkness. All the philosophies of our world are only enlightened forms of darkness that turn us in toward ourselves and away from our Creator God. The Pharisees represent a view of self turned inward through religion, unable to see themselves in need of grace.

Sunday, we’ll begin to examine John’s presentation of Jesus’ offer made in the treasury of the temple, symbolic of the treasures of this world and our attempts to satisfy God through human effort. As you prepare for worship, consider your own sense of self in the world. Who are you and what do you need?

Before Jesus ascended to heaven he directed his disciples to be on mission as his witnesses to the world. (Acts 1:8). As the gospel message invaded the kingdom of the evil one, many obeyed the Gospel call to look to Jesus for forgiveness of sin and hope in eternal life. Persecution of believers in Jesus Christ began to increase to such extent that the church in Jerusalem was scattered (Acts 8:1) . Believers were a minority in a secularized society and faced trials and difficult times. They were discouraged and needed renewal of hope.

Today as we live in a pluralized society, we face similar trials and difficulties that early church believers experienced. We are the minority and our faith is often ridiculed. We are counter culture regarding ethics, values, and worldview. And we need some encouragement to be steadfast in our witness. On Sunday we will see in 1 Peter how the Apostle Peter encouraged the people of God to stand firm in their faith and hope. May the Word of God direct our hearts into the love of God and the living hope we have.

Sunday we will examine the gentle and lowly heart of God in his shepherding care of us. The renown King David says, “The LORD is my shepherd,” in his familiar Psalm 23. Isaiah gives a stunning explanation of God’s shepherding skill, saying, “He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” (Is. 40:11) Finally, Jesus speaks of himself as the “good shepherd” in John 10.

By calling himself the “good shepherd,” Jesus connects himself to David’s imagery of God and the prophecies of Isaiah. God’s heart is not to “drive” the flock like cattle, but to tenderly lead his sheep to “green pastures.” The green pastures aren’t our circumstances but the restoration of our soul that occurs in the presence of God. Even in the midst of great hardship and our enemies threats (Ps. 23:5), we are nourished by the tender presence of God. We fear no evil because, “no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:28)

What is the experience of those who are shepherded by Christ? “Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Ps. 23:6) So as you prepare to worship this Sunday, read through Psalm 23, Isaiah 40, and John 10. Listen to the Spirit of God lead you to your Good Shepherd.

Sunday we will consider what God reveals about his lowly heart. Jesus’ revelation in Matthew 11:29 is not God’s only statement about his heart. Our primary passage is Philippians 2:1-11, where Paul explains that Jesus willingly laid aside his glory to take on human flesh. Paul says that Jesus did not “grasp” his equality with God but became a servant to meet our need.

Have you ever considered how God thinks about himself? Does he bask in his glory? Does he cherish his high status? Isaiah quoting the LORD, says, “I dwell in the high and holy place,” but that’s not the full statement. Isaiah continues, saying, “and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Is. 57:15) God is the Lord, dwelling in glory appropriate to his nature and character, but he associates with the lowly. This is the heart of God!

What does this mean for you? Well, if you have a humble heart or a lowly station in life, God associates with you. He resists the proud but draws near to the humble.

Join us Sunday and consider God’s humble heart.

Sunday, we will continue our Advent series on the gentle and lowly heart of God. This week we’ll consider Jesus’ gentle heart, which is amazing considering that he is Lord of all creation. When John has a vision of Christ, in Revelation 1:12-20, Jesus is a terrifying individual. He is clothed in white with a golden sash. He has white hair with flaming, piercing eyes. His voice shakes the very foundations of creation. A sword proceeds from his mouth and to look upon him is like looking at the sun itself. John is terrified, as I would be!

In that moment, this intimidating figure touches him and says, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one.” (Rev. 1:17, 18a) Having received restored glory (John 17:5), his gentle heart has not changed. He is still kind and compassionate. The Jesus we meet in the gospels who touches the leper (healing him from his disease) — the one who calms the stormy sea; the one who heals the sick and feeds the poor; the one who is filled with compassion over and over — is the same Jesus enthroned and full of glory. He is compassionate and kind! Though our Hero King, he is our Gentle Friend.

Join us Sunday as we consider this gentle Giant!

Sunday we will interrupt our series in John’s gospel to focus exclusively on Jesus in order to prepare us to celebrate his birth. This year we will consider Jesus’ statement in Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your soul.” The focus will be on Jesus’ statement about what animates him, his heart. What characterizes his heart? He is gentle and lowly.

The context of this statement is his pronouncement of “woe” on the cities that he had ministered in but which rejected him. These communities had witnessed his miracles and teaching, but refused his gracious offer of salvation. If other cities, evil cities like Sodom, had seen these miracles and heard these teachings, Jesus says they would have repented. What anger do we provoke from God for rejecting his Son?

In this context, Jesus extends a gracious invitation, “Come to me, all who labor and are heaven laden, and I will give you rest.” This invitation is followed by his statement about his heart being “gentle and lowly.” Who is Jesus? Who is God? What motivates and animates the Trinity? Jesus tells us, “I am gentle and lowly in heart.”

A book that has prompted some of these thoughts, and I believe will bless you, is Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers,  by Dane C. Ortlund.

Let’s gather Sunday and peer into the heart of God for us!

Sunday we move into John chapter 8. There is some question about the text as the older manuscripts of John don’t have this section in them. Most scholars believe that the events of the text did occur and were moved here from another location by a later editor. Nothing in the text goes against the teaching of Jesus. Rather, the interaction enhances the statement of Jesus, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17)

These are the very words of Jesus at the end of his interaction with the woman of the text, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?...Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” (John 8:10,11) Jesus knows the requirements of the Law of Moses which calls for the stoning of adulterers. The Pharisees are setting a trap to accuse him and have him charged. But they are ignoring part of the law, after all, both parties should have been stoned. Jesus doesn’t ignore the law but challenges the hypocrisy of these men and exposes their self-righteousness.

This passage illustrates the grace that God has offered us through his Son. Come Sunday and consider this passage with me.