Month: May 2019

Rebirth in Jesus!

irina-murza-1221003-unsplash.jpg

Photo by Irina Murza on Unsplash

Title: Rebirth in Jesus

Reading: The Gospel of John 3:1-15

Key verse: John 3:3

 “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly I say to you unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God’”.

John, the writer of this Gospel, wrote about Nicodemus who came to Jesus one evening. Nicodemus was a Pharisee who was seeking for the truth. He wanted to know Jesus and the truth of His teachings personally. He wanted to hear and understand for himself as he heard Jesus speak and teach the crowd.  Even though Jesus was rejected by some of the Pharisees, Jesus did not turn down Nicodemus. Jesus knew the heart of Nicodemus, that he was sincerely seeking the Kingdom of God (v.2).

Thus, Jesus revealed to Nicodemus an important spiritual truth. Jesus showed Nicodemus the way to God.

Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit…You must be born again!”   (v.5-7)

Nicodemus wanted to understand more, “How can these things be?

So, Jesus further explained;

“No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven… that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (v.13-15)

Jesus gave a clear explanation to Nicodemus of the truth and showed him the way to God, which was to believe in Him, the Son of God. Jesus made Himself known to those who were sincerely seeking and searching for the truth and the kingdom of God.

Jesus was telling Nicodemus about life in the flesh and life in the spirit. Life in the flesh is merely living in the physical realm – with body, mind, and soul. However, there is more to life than just the physical life, there is life in the Spirit, which is only found in the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

As Jesus explained to Nicodemus, we people are all born on earth with physical life – the body, mind, and soul (emotions). However, because of the sin nature, we are born on earth with no spiritual life. We are dead in the spirit, which means separated from God.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

But through Jesus Christ we can be born again. Being born-again is to receive a new life in Christ. As Jesus told Nicodemus, “…that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (v.15)

Reflection:

To be born-again is to have a new life in Christ. Believing Jesus is to receive a new life – a life in the Spirit of God, and eternal life in Christ.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord Jesus, for giving me a new life in the Spirit and for bringing me into Your Kingdom.

Your Thoughts:

Your Prayer:

Jesus honors His mother!

cana_chapel
The Sanctuary of our Lord’s First Miracle, Cana

Title: Jesus obeys God’s words by honoring His mother!
Reading: John 2:1-12 ; Deuteronomy 5:16
Key verse:   “His mother said to the servants, whatever He says to you, do it”.  John 2:5 NKJV
Jesus, His mother, and His disciples were invited to a wedding in Cana of Galilee. In Jewish tradition, a wedding feast could last up to three days. In a typical wedding, the host usually served a lot of food and wine.  The host may not have expected more people to come, but as more guests came in-and-out, they ran out of wine. (John 1:1-2) Mary, like any other mother, cared about such things. She saw the need for more wine to be served to the guests. She was concerned and brought her concern to Jesus.
“They ran out of wine” (v3).  Mary knew Jesus could do something to help. When Jesus was growing up, perhaps Mary had seen Jesus do little miracles in their family. Mary knew her Son well, who He was, and what power He had.  So, Mary, with confidence, presented the need to Jesus. However, at that time Jesus had no intention of showing off His divine power to the public.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” v4
Again, Mary believed in her Son.  She told the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it”. (v5)
Jesus looked around and saw what was available. He saw the six, empty, stone waterpots. So, Jesus instructed the servants to “Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.” (v7) After the waterpots were filled with water, Jesus told the servants to draw them out and take it to the master of the wedding feast. (v8) And the master of the ceremony, not knowing where the wine came from, was very pleased that the host kept the best wine until the last day.  And he said, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” (v.10)
Thus, the wedding celebration was completed with more than enough wine. And Mary was relieved that her concern was taken care of by Jesus.  Jesus may not have had the intention to do a miracle at the wedding feast, but because Mary, His earthly mother, had presented the concern to Him, Jesus honored her request.
Jesus loved His earthly mother, and He also knew the word of God which says, “Honor your father and mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” (Deuteronomy 5:16 & Exodus 20:12).
When Jesus was here on earth, He was fully human and fully divine, too.  He had the creative power that God had when He created the heavens and the earth, (Genesis 1).  Like God, who created the world and everything in it from nothing, Jesus also had the power to create through the power of His spoken word.  And without drawing attention to Himself, Jesus took care of His mother’s concern by turning the plain water into wine. Even when Jesus’ miraculous power was not seen by the public, He cared for those whom He loved.  Jesus used His creative power to honor God’s Word and His mother. 
Reflection:
Jesus honored the Word of God by honoring His mother. Jesus showed His love for His earthly mother as He took care of her concern.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for Your example of obeying the Word of God by honoring your mother. Help children to honor their mothers and fathers, too.
Your Reflection:

Your Prayer:

 

 

Jesus’ final words!

IMG_0324.JPG

Title: Jesus’ final words!

Reading: Matthew 28: 1-20 (NKJV)

“Go, therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV)

Jesus died on the cross even though He did not deserve it. (Matthew 27:50). However, on the third day, God raised Him up. (Matthew 28:6). Many of His disciples saw Him and spoke with Him. Just before Jesus went back to heaven, He met with His eleven disciples in Galilee, on the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. (Matthew 28:16) Jesus came and spoke with them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples”. (Matthew 28:18-19)

Jesus obeyed the will of the Lord God for the plan of salvation for all men of all the nations, for it is the will of God for all – every man and woman to be saved.

Mark 16:15 said, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature”.

It is the heart of God that none shall perish.

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

God loves everyone and cares for each and every person in the world.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  (John 3:16)

The Lord God commissioned and sent His Son Jesus to preach repentance and salvation to the people of Israel. Jesus obeyed and did the will of the Father. Therefore, God exalted Him and gave Him power and authority. (Matthew 28:18).

Jesus then empowered His disciples and followers to go and make disciples as He had done for them.  In the book of Acts, the stories are written where the disciples fulfilled and obeyed the final words of Jesus to go, make disciples, baptize and teach (Acts 2:14-47).  The disciples and followers of Jesus continued the work of preaching the Gospel to others, even it cost their lives (Acts 4 & 7). The disciples of Jesus fulfilled the final words of Jesus to make disciples in their lifetime. And the Gospel spread from Jerusalem, to Judea and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8).

For two thousand years, men and women, followers of Jesus continue to go, preach and make disciples in almost every country and to every people group in the world. From the country of Israel, to Europe, to America, to Africa and Asia, the Gospel and the Kingdom of God have spread. And Jesus promised to everyone who obeys, “And lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age”. (Matthew 28:20)

Reflection:

The final words of Jesus to His followers before He went back to heaven was:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.”

This is still the words of Jesus to everyone who follows Him and who truly desires to follow Him. It is the heart of Jesus and the Lord God for everyone to receive salvation – for the Jews, and for every people of every nation, and tribe and tongue.  As a follower of Jesus, we are called to obey His Words.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, please help me and every one of Your followers to obey Your final words and commission to go and make disciples of all the nations in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Your Reflection:

Your Prayer: