In John 13, Jesus is eating with his disciples prior to the Passover feast. John is seated at his right and Judas Iscariot on his left. As they recline at the table, sharing together, Jesus stands up, removes his outer garments, wraps himself in a towel, and washes the feet of his disciples. The disciples can’t understand why Jesus is doing a task reserved for servants, nor what it means. But now, after the ascension of Christ, John understands and brings out the meaning for us.

First, Jesus cleanses his followers making it possible for them to share in his glory. If he doesn’t cleanse us, and if we don’t look to him for cleansing, in his words, “you have no share with me” (v.8). Second, cleansing doesn’t give us power over others as some elite status in the culture; that kind of thinking is characteristic of the Pharisees of Jesus’ day. Those who are cleansed are now to become servants of all, humbling themselves to engage in the cleansing work of Christ for the world.

While the cleansing work of Christ gives us “standing” with God, that standing is not used for oppression or control, but for service. Jesus’ followers serve by offering his cleansing grace to the world. Join us Sunday as we consider this beautiful text.

Sunday we began studying Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem and the discourses John uses to make his point: follow Jesus, because of his obedient sacrifice. John brings out the different expectations of the people surrounding Jesus. Some wanted relief from Roman oppression by the rightful king of Israel. Some wanted to see the miracle maker and the power of God. Some wanted to follow Jesus, but they clung to the praise of men.

Whatever people wanted from Jesus, he came to accomplish a specific purpose -- the salvation of God’s children. What no one realized is that Jesus was striking the foundation of the kingdom of evil, toppling an evil empire. Jesus says, “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (12:31-32). What we discover in the text is that what we want from Jesus is not what we need. We want a righteous government: we need the removal of corruption. We want to see the power of God: we need God. We want freedom: we need freedom from our sin nature.

Jesus came to do something much bigger and better than what we want. This is the wisdom and glory of God. This is why you should follow Jesus! Come Sunday and consider the glory of Jesus.

Sunday we are going to consider an unexpected message from Jesus. John sets the stage by narrating Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem for the Passover. It’s an emotionally and politically charged moment. It’s Jesus’ moment to set himself up as king and lead his people. 

This scene is juxtaposed with the threat of the Jewish leaders who are making plans to arrest and put Jesus to death. John is setting the stage for Jesus’ unexpected choice and unexpected teaching. He wants you to believe in the One that God sent and the message that God is communicating through him.

Faced with two options, being king or being killed, Jesus moves toward death. Why? Because his death will rescue from God's judgment those who believe. But in that choice Jesus teaches us that believing in and following him means that we follow him in death. It’s counter-intuitive: the path to life is through death to self.

Join us Sunday and be surprised by Jesus’ unexpected message.

Sunday we’ll consider John’s narrative notes that set the scene for the last few days before Jesus’ crucifixion. Having raised Lazarus, Jesus travels to Ephraim because the Jewish leaders are planning to arrest and kill him. It’s not just him, they want to get rid of Lazarus too, because people were coming to talk to him about his "death-to-life" experience.

John records several responses to Jesus’ signs. The religious leaders and Judas both despise Jesus. The religious leaders despise Jesus because he threatens their power as leaders, and Judas despises him because Judas loves himself and is stealing from Jesus. Those who despise Jesus are set against those who love him, particularly Mary, who anoints Jesus with burial ointment, wiping his feet with her hair.

Jesus elicits one of these responses: for those who recognize their need of his saving grace, he is worthy of their worship; for those who feel threatened by him, he is worthy of their animosity. One question stands out in the text -- “What are we to do?” (11:47)

Join us Sunday as consider both responses to Jesus. What will you do with Jesus?

Sunday we continue our study in John 11, where Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. John is presenting us the glory of the Son of God. Jesus’ glory is seen in his passion for the Father and his wise shepherding. This week we’ll see more of his glory revealed by his affection for God’s children. We know that Jesus loves us, but what does the text reveal about his great desire for us and what does that desire express concerning his love?

In addition, John presents the standing that Jesus has with the Father. Martha says, “whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Can you imagine having that kind of pull with God? Jesus has standing with the Father, but let’s consider what that means for us as his disciples.

Finally, the highlight of the text, Jesus’ glory is revealed in his ability to bring life to the dead. This miracle presents his ability to give us the eternal life that he came to secure for us. This certainly comforts us as we face death, but Jesus says he’s the resurrection and “the life.” While Martha is focused on her brother’s eventual resurrection, Jesus declares himself “life.” Jesus is more than our re-animator, he is life!

Jesus’ glory answers some important questions we ask in this life. Questions about love and its function; questions about our connection to God; questions about what it means to be alive. So let’s ask those questions and learn from Jesus’ response.

Sunday we consider the last of seven signs that John presents concerning the nature of Jesus as the Son of God. This last sign is the most amazing in John’s gospel and brings the evidence of Jesus’ deity to a crescendo. But remember, it’s not just a miracle: it’s a miracle with meaning. The sign teaches us something that we need to learn.

The passage breaks easily into four sections: setting the stage, interacting with the family, the miraculous sign, and the response of the religious leaders. From John’s perspective this sign begins the march of Jesus to the cross, as the Jewish leaders determine they have to find a way to eliminate Jesus.

The sign teaches us something very simple, yet very important. Jesus summarizes the meaning when he says, “I am the resurrection and the life” (11:25). That will be further illustrated and proven when he rises from the dead and exits his tomb, but this sign points to that truth. He promises all who believe in Jesus will experience the resurrection, and as the Son of God, he demonstrates that he can deliver on that promise.

What is the sign? Come Sunday and we’ll ask Lazarus.

Sunday, we will return to our study of the Gospel of John. When we paused our study, we were concluding Jesus’ teaching during the Feast of Tabernacles. The author, John, moves from that celebration to the Feast of Dedication of the temple, about three months later. 

During the period between the Old and the New Testament, a ruler, Antiochus Epiphanies had sacrificed an unclean animal to a foreign god on the altar in God’s temple, desecrating the holy place. When God delivered Israel from that oppression, they cleansed and rededicated the temple. The eight day feast celebrated God’s merciful redemption and restoration. 

John moves right into a conversation between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. Jesus asserts the leaders' inability to believe, which isn’t received well. But what really irks them is Jesus’ claimed connection with God the Father. They pick up stones, about to enact Levitical judgment, and Jesus challenges their understanding of Scripture, which is also not well received. 

It’s amazing that as they celebrate God’s restoration of the temple, that his own people reject the One he has been sent to reconcile them to himself. Not even the signs (miracles with meaning) move them to believe. Why do some reject Jesus and others believe? Why is Jesus so controversial? Come Sunday and consider the lesson of faith.

The apostle Peter used Psalm 34 to prepare believers for suffering (1 Peter 2:3 & 3:10-12). This psalm is a call to celebrate King David's deliverance from affliction but also to prepare us for our own afflictions, present or future. Being God's people, "the righteous" doesn't mean we will have an easy life. Actually, life comes with many afflictions of the righteous (Psalm 34:19), but the LORD delivers us out of them all. This is the context for "tasting that the Lord is good". To trust him, rest in him during afflictions and see that He is good! Come and magnify the Lord with me this Sunday; let's exalt his name together for He is good.

This Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. For several weeks we’ve considered the pathway to God’s presence laid out in the book of Leviticus, centering on the Day of Atonement. For Israel to be reconciled to God, their sins had to be atoned. God is holy, and the only way to be reconciled to him is for judgment to be placed upon another.

Hebrews tells us that Christ, our High Priest, makes atonement for us with his own blood, creating a path for every believer to live in relationship with God enjoying his holy presence. “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:19-22)

Catch the language of the author: enter, new and living way, draw near, hearts sprinkled clean, bodies washed. Do you see the end result of Christ’s atonement and resurrection? A new and living way. Christ, who died and rose again, leads us into the presence of God. Jesus is our pathway to God’s presence because he has reconciled us to God.

Join us Sunday as we celebrate our “new and living way” to God!

Sunday we will continue our study by looking at the Day of Atonement. We were introduced to the ritual of this day in the first couplet that addresses sin offerings (chpt. 4) and the holy convocation (chpt. 23). This is a critical day for the nation as the high priest enters not just the Tent of Meeting, but the Holy of Holies, behind the veil of separation, to sprinkle the atoning blood on the mercy seat before the Lord. This annual ceremony cleanses the holy place and propitiates God’s justness. Life is given for life, so that man could be reconciled to God and remain in his presence.

The text brings us back to chapter 10, where Nadab and Abihu approach the Lord with unlawful incense and God slays them, saying, “The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Lord and died” (Lev. 16:1). This instruction concerning entering the holy place may indicate that Aaron’s sons breached that area with their offering. God lays out detailed instructions for Aaron to follow at the appointed annual convocation to avoid a similar death and accomplish the reconciliation ceremony.

It isn’t just a day for the priest, everyone must examine themselves. The people are to “afflict themselves,” which refers to fasting and prayer, while avoiding work (Sabbath). Everyone, including foreigners, must hit pause in order to recognize that their sins need to be atoned, so that they can be forgiven and reconciled to God. In addition, as chapter 17 indicates, God built into their daily lives their need for atonement. Whenever an animal was slain for dinner, the blood had to be poured out and dealt with. The reason is that blood of the animal is symbolic of the atoning substitute, therefore it is to be removed before the animal is eaten. 

The Day of Atonement is a sacred day when sins are confessed and atoned for by the High Priest, so that Israel can remain in God’s presence. As you prepare for Sunday, consider reading Hebrews 9, which explains Christ’s atonement for us.