John

Have you ever experienced a déjà vu moment? That’s the strange feeling that you get when you’re in a situation that feels like you’ve been in the exact same situation before. In John 21, we see several of these kinds of moments. Did you recognize them when you were reading this passage? If not, take a moment and read it again looking for these times and then come back to this conversation. I’ll point out just a few of these…

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31) I have a friend that loves to use the phrase, “Real life”, when referring to big things that have occurred. I love to hear him say this and I have even tried to use it myself…

John now shows us the great sign to which his gospel has been pointing – the cross of Christ.  He has carefully selected seven statements and seven signs to answer the question, “Who is Jesus and how can I be certain that his claims are true?” These statements each begin with the declaration “I am”: “I am the bread of life” (6:35, 41, 48-51) “I am the light of the world” (8:12, 9:5) “I am the door of the sheep”…

“‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked.” (John 18:38) An interesting question, especially when you take a peek into the world Pilate lived in. In the Roman Empire you had the Greco-Roman mythology. You had the Greek philosophy of the likes of Socrates, Aristotle and Plato. You had the paganism of the Near Eastern nations and Egypt. Then you had the Judaism of the day and now Pilate stood face to face with this Nazarene who claimed to be a king, but…

God has given us a beautiful gift in John 17: a glimpse into the heart of Jesus Christ and his relationship with His Father. The Bible is full of great prayers, but perhaps none reveals the heart and purpose of God better than this one, uttered just hours before the crucifixion. Jesus lifts up his eyes as if to make eye contact with His Father, zeroing in on the will of God. He prays according to His own need, “Father,…

In his Upper Room dialogue with his disciples, Jesus mentioned several times the special Helper he would send from the Father to assist them. The disciples were devastated by his announcement he was soon going away and they would see him no more. But then he astounded them with his announcement it was “to their advantage that I go away.” How could it possibly be to their advantage that the Son of God—he whom they have come to believe in…

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” John 15.4 Through the metaphor of a vineyard, Jesus paints a vivid picture here of the intended relationship between believers and Christ. He had already anticipated the hope for this relationship in 14.23 when he said, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him,…

Written by Ally Seiple How many times have you been faced with a desperate situation that has left you with a troubled heart? When I was a senior in high school, I remember being at a crossroad in my life and searching for direction to find my best path. I didn’t quite know where I was going or what exactly I was going to do, I just knew I had to decide… And soon. I remember spending that summer after…

After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly. I say to you, one of you will betray me.” (John 13:2) When I was a young girl, a friend hand stitched a sampler, framed it, and gave it to me as a gift. It’s stitched message reads “All the wealth of the world could not buy a friend.”  When we visualize this dramatic scene in John 13, we see a friend who is a perfect…

“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” John 12:25-26 A dear friend, mentor and pastor for over 30 years frequently asks me: “Do I hate my life?”  Depending on my mood, I answer in a variety of ways. On a…