God's plan has always been to rescue man through Jesus Christ. John writes to encourage people with the truth that these ideas about Jesus were not invented in a vacuum. These things were eyewitness accounts personally recorded and shared by those who were with Jesus himself.
However, our creator that defines our identity also pursues his creation and offers a new identity through the person and work of Jesus Christ. When we cross over from death to life, we move from enemy to friend, foe to family, pauper to royalty. Jesus changes our identity when our life is found in him. Jesus' identity is savior, and when he rescues us from sin and death, our identity is saint. What is your true identity?
The word gives life and obedience sustains it. We must never forget that earthly pursuits must be viewed through a kingdom lens. We belong to King Jesus, and he has commissioned us to make disciples.
Whatever the reason she abandons her water jar and heads to town. Upon her arrival, she begins to summon everyone to join her at the well. Her behavior would certainly demand an immediate response, and it must have been quite the scene to see the woman that generally kept to herself and went to the well done now addressing the townspeople as if she was under orders from the king.
Jesus does not dismiss this woman's religious questions and gives her an answer that she does not fully understand yet. He does not disparage the worship of Mt. Gerizim or Jerusalem, but he announces its obsolescence. However, he indirectly explains that Samaritan worship is not complete due to the scriptures that they held as legitimate.
It must have been terribly painful when Jesus revealed all of her failed marriages and the illegitimate relationship that she was currently involved in. This woman is so caught off guard by Jesus' comments that she declares him to be a prophet.
Jesus offers satisfaction to weary, thirsty souls and it is this offer for living water that will provide her the joy, peace, satisfaction and meaning she so desperately craves. Like all of humanity, she had rejected the spring of living water and dug her own well, which was totally inadequate to hold the water for which she longed.
Suddenly the encounter takes an antagonistic tone if not hostile. This woman rebukes Jesus for requesting water. Why? John tells us that Jews and Samaritans "have no dealings" with each other.
John prepared the way for Jesus and when Jesus came on the scene John had to explain to his worried disciples that Jesus' growing fame was not a threat to them. John was happy to decrease while Jesus increased. However, Jesus came to serve and not to seek the spotlight so when the Pharisees heard that more and more people were flocking to see and hear Jesus they wanted to investigate. Instead of staying Jesus left and went to Samaria.
Jesus shared our life so that we might share his life in heaven. God declares from his throne that all things have been created anew, and all who are thirsty may come and drink deeply from the spring of the water of life.
The king bears a sharp sword that comes out of his mouth with which he will strike the nations and rule over them. He treads the winepress of God’s wrath and fury. He will crush and trample the wicked like grapes. This is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
Prosperity can be as great a threat to God’s people as adversity in spite of the fact that it is usually overlooked as an imminent threat. This church received the most severe rebuke of Christ’s letters. He issues a scathing indictment of the church’s disgusting and sickening lukewarmness.
The church at Ephesus was doing many good things, but it suffered from a serious flaw. These good deeds did not excuse the fact that they had abandoned their first love. The people were not expressing love with the same intensity and passion at the beginning.
Having seen the seven golden lampstands, John saw Jesus as a remarkable human figure. He saw Jesus clothed in a robe reaching to His feet, having a golden sash. Like the Ancient of Days we read about in Daniel, this glorious figure with brilliant white hair. His eyes were like a flame of fire. His voice was like the roar of many waters and in his right hand he held seven stars.
John again underscores the importance of showing genuine love. Our love as an inclination finds its origin in the divine nature. The greatness of the divine love for us leaves us with an incentive to love one another. Our practice of love for one another provides evidence that God’s love for us has attained its goal.
James urges his readers to count it as joy in the face of trials. Believers are not to pretend that the sufferings of this life are not real and painful. James makes the point that joy can be found in the midst of suffering and that there is purpose in suffering will be over. Wisdom and understanding are needed and God will give generously to those who ask him.
The church is described as a living body, a building built on the foundation of Jesus, and as a select people. Peter was eager for God’s people to demonstrate distinctive, obedient behavior in order to convince critics of their faith. Since they are living as God’s people in a pagan world, they are called to live in such a way that the only thing they can be accused of is being honorable and doing good deeds.
In light of these truths, Paul seeks to persuade others, not by commending themselves, but because the love of Christ controls him. Christ died and was raised, and that changes everything. Paul does not see people the same way anymore. If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation because they have been reconciled to God through Christ who has also given them the ministry of reconciliation and made them his ambassadors and the secondary means of God's appeal.
Paul defines some of the characteristics of Christian love so that there will not be any confusion for the church at Corinth. Paul starts with the positive attributes and then explains what is antithetical to Christian love. It is important to understand that Christian love is not some sentimental and uncontrollable emotion.
There is a great deal of curiosity, and much speculation is made concerning the time of Christ's return. Paul tells the believers that his coming will be sudden and unexpected so they are to live with an urgent expectancy concerning his return. We are called to live unto Christ, and if we give ourselves to following Christ and obeying his commands, then we will be ready when he comes for his bride.