“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to
walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads to life.”
Observation
Jesus continues to teach the people. He says He is the light of the
world, but the Pharisees say His testimony about Himself is not
valid. Jesus says His Father testifies about Him also, so there are
two witnesses- Jesus and the Father.
The Pharisees say they don’t know His Father, not realising that He
is talking about God.
Application
Jesus is the light of the world. He brings knowledge of the grace of
God to all who will receive it.
Light is the source of nearly all life on earth- without light there
are no plants. Even people need exposure to sunlight to produce
Vitamin D. Jesus came to bring abundant life to the world. Without
Him, we live ghostly, miserable existences that lead to hell.
Light brings knowledge and interaction with our environment. We use
sight as our main source of knowledge in the world. Jesus brings us
true knowledge about eternity and salvation.
Light
brings safety. Crime plummets in areas where there is adequate
street lighting. The people of darkness don’t like the light to
expose their deeds. Jesus protects us from the deeds of satan, the
prince of darkness.
Light
cleanses and purifies. Sunlight kills germs in clothing. Ultraviolet
light is often used to purify drinking water. Jesus cleanses sin
from our lives, removing the desire to sin as well as the results of
sin.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you are the light of the world. Come and light up my
life, purify my heart and make me like you. Amen.
Here is my commentary on Ephesians 1:13. I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site.
Ephesians
1:13
In him, you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of
salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised
Holy Spirit.
Having talked about the Jews who were saved by faith in Christ
(“we”), Paul now turns to the saved Gentiles, the “you” in
this verse.
We ,the Gentile believers, are included with the Jewish believers.
This is the significance of the word “also”. The Jews were the
first to believe, but in Christ we Gentiles are also saved.
Apart from timing, there is no difference in the destiny or the
quality of salvation of those who are Jews and those who are not
Jews. As Paul says in Romans, God has made one race or type of
humanity out of what was formerly two, and now there is no
difference.
This is so important to understand. The Gentiles have been grafted
into God’s kingdom, but that does not mean that we are not part of
the tree. And those who were born as Jews still need to be saved by
faith in Christ. People who make distinctions between Jews and
Gentiles (or between Israel and the Church), and those who argue that
Gentiles must take on aspects of Judaism to be properly saved have it
all wrong.
Paul notes here a three part salvation process
We hear the word
We believe in Christ
We receive the Holy Spirit
The gospel of salvation is the word of truth. The gospel is God’s
good news first announced by Jesus. The gospel can be expressed in
many ways, but its heart is found in John 3:16. “God so loved the
world that He sent His one and only Son so that whoever believes in
Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
We were dead in our sins, lost and far from God, with no hope for
salvation. Good deeds could not atone for our sins, and false
religion left us in bondage to rules that only served to convict us
of our hopeless condition.
Then Jesus came and set us free. His death on the cross paid the
price for every sin ever committed. Suddenly there was light in the
darkness.
This is the Good News about salvation. Jesus Christ came into the
world to save sinners.
The gospel is the word of truth. It is God’s word to us so it
must be truth. Jesus is the word become flesh. He is the light in
which there is no darkness. In Jesus we have all truth.
The devil is the father of lies. He is the cause and source of
every deception, every falsehood, every forgery. The devil delights
in lies because they hide what is true.
The Father is the source of all truth. Every revelation, every
discovery, every scientific fact, owes its existence to God.
When we say the gospel of salvation is the word of truth we are
saying it is from God and it reveals God.
We live in a post-truth society where it is claimed that we are
free to believe whatever resonates within us at the time. The whole
concept of truth is considered by some to be a tool of the white
patriarchy.
Nevertheless, the law of gravity applies to everyone, regardless
of their race, sexuality or gender. Everyone who jumps from a tall
building in an attempt to defy gravity will themselves be broken by
gravity.
The gospel is God’s word of truth and it applies equally to all
people everywhere.
Hearing the gospel is not enough in itself. We must also believe
in Christ. The word believe is often thought of as being a weak word
of less credibility than knowing.
Believing in Christ means something stronger. We hear the word of
truth and we decide to stake our lives on it. We don’t just have an
intellectual belief that we are saved by Christ, but we know and
trust that the word is true.
I know that gravity is real, not just an abstract theory of
physics, but a daily reality in my life. I can fall over and hurt
myself. I can imagine falling from a great height and so I am nervous
when I am near a cliff edge.
I know in my head that the laws of aerodynamics are also true. I
see planes take off and land at the airport. When I buy a ticket and
get onto a plane, I am saying that I trust the pilots, the
maintenance engineers, the air traffic controllers and a host of
people to get me safely into the air and back down again.
Many people believe the gospel is true, but fewer people take the
step of trusting Jesus, believing that He alone has the power to save
us.
When we trusted in Christ, we were sealed by the promised Holy
Spirit. The Holy Spirit is promised to everyone who believes. God is
no longer “out there”. He is in me, empowering, sanctifying and
making me more like Jesus.
We are sealed by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is God’s mark of
ownership on me. He seals us to remind us that we have been set apart
for His purposes, to live as His bond- servants.
The seal is for our benefit not God’s. When I allow the Holy
Spirit to work in me and through me, it is a reminder that I have
been bought at a price and I am no longer my own.
The gift of tongues is a daily supernatural expression of the God
who is in me. The “little miracles” of words of knowledge and
prophecy are a powerful sign that God’s power has sealed me for His
purposes.
The fruit of the Spirit- love, joy, peace, and so on- are a sign
that God is at work transforming me, lifting me out of my bondage to
sin and self, and changing my temperament to be a holy person.
The benefits of salvation are not limited to individual people.
God is building a Kingdom made up of millions of born again
disciples. As our individual lives are transformed in God’s three
step conversion process, we influence and shape the culture around
us, even changing nations.
We hear the gospel, believe in Christ and receive the Holy Spirit.
Then we have the responsibility to pass it on, to speak the words of
truth so that our neighbours can hear, believe and receive,
Key points in this verse:
There is no difference between Jew and Gentiles
To be a part of God’s kingdom we must hear the truth, put
our trust in Christ and receive the Holy Spirit.
Belief in Christ is total surrender not just believing facts.
Scripture
Then Jesus stood up. “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of these condemn you?” “No Lord”, she replied. Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
Observation
Jesus is at the Temple when the Pharisees bring a woman they had caught in the act of adultery. They demand to know whether Jesus says what they should do with her.
Jesus says that it is acceptable to stone her, but the one who has never sinned should throw the first stone. One by one, the accusers slink away.
When they have all gone, Jesus tells the woman He does not condemn her. “Go and sin no more,” He tells her.
Application
Jesus is not saying here that sin does not have consequences. He is not denouncing the practice of stoning adulterers. In this situation, He sees that the woman’s sin is incidental to the political games being played by the Pharisees.
When He reverses the condemnation game back onto the Pharisees, the woman is left with no one to condemn her. According to the rule set by Jesus Himself, He was qualified to stone her, being without sin. But He chooses not to condemn her.
Jesus is qualified to condemn each one of us, but in His grace, He chooses not to.
Grace brings responsibilities. “Go and sin no more,” Jesus tells the woman.
This does not mean that she must be perfect. She is to give up her ways of rebelling against God’s ways, that is, to repent of her sins, and live for God.
Jesus calls us to the same kind of repentance. I do not have to be morally perfect in every way, but I do have to set my desires on living for Jesus.
Prayer
I thank you Jesus that for those who follow you there is no condemnation. Please help me to be faithful in serving you. Amen.
“Anyone who is thirsty may come to me. Anyone who believes in me
may come and drink. For the Scriptures declare: “Rivers of living
water will flow from his heart.”
Observation
Jesus stands in front of the crowds and invites them to believe and
drink. Rivers of living water flow from Him.
The crowd is divided, with some believing Jesus is the Messiah,
others a prophet, still others saying He can’t be the Messiah.
The Pharisees deride the guards for failing to resist Jesus. When
Nicodemus says they should not condemn Jesus without a trial, they
turn on him also.
Application
Jesus is the source of living water, and He gives it freely to all
who receive Him. The living water is, in fact, the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit brings:
joy to the downcast
hope to the hopeless
salvation to the lost
power to the weak
comfort to the mourning
healing to the sick
Whatever our need, Jesus is the one who fulfils the need thorough the
Holy Spirit.
When you are in a dry and barren place, the only thing you can think
of is the need for water. That is the priority, because without water
you will soon die.
Many people are in spiritually dry places, but they don’t see their
need for Jesus. There is a deception there that blocks their
understanding. When they see a person who is full of the abundant
life, the living water of the Holy Spirit, then the blindness can be
removed.
The Holy Spirit is a gift that multiplies as it is given away. If we
let the river of life flow through us to impact other people, they
can be transformed too.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, Living Water, flow through me and fill me with your
life, and flow on to others that they can also receive your life.
Amen.
Then Jesus told them, “I will be with you only a little while
longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me. You cannot go
where I am going.”
Observation
People are starting to discuss whether Jesus is the Messiah. Some
people say that he can’t be the Messiah because they know where He
was born, and the Messiah is supposed to just appear. Others say that
Jesus must be the Messiah because of the number and types of miracles
He has performed.
The Pharisees try to have Jesus arrested, but this cannot be done
because it is not yet the right time. Jesus tells them He will be
with them a little longer, and they cannot go where He is going.
Application
Jesus is warning the Jewish people that He will soon be leaving, and
if they do not believe in Him they will not be able to follow Him.
He tells them straight out that He will return to the Father. They
will not be able to follow Him there because they do not believe in
Him.
It is puzzling that they take away from this the meaning that Jesus
is going to a foreign land. They could not hear the message that
Jesus would be going back to the one who sent Him.
There is a kind of blindness that comes from unbelief which twists
the gospel around and skips over God’s grace. The words “You must
be saved” get applied to other people. The statement that “All
have sinned” must relate to that person over there, not to me.
We need Jesus to be the light that comes into our eyes so that we can
understand and see the whole gospel.
Unbelief is dangerous because it not only prevents us from believing
but also closes our eyes to the fact that we are not believing.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, be the light that opens my eyes to see your glory. Where
I have fallen into unbelief, show me and give me faith to follow you.
Amen.
“Stop
judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgement.”
Observation
Jesus stays away from Judea because He is aware that the Jewish
leaders are plotting to kill Him, and the time for Him to die has not
yet come. His brothers, at this stage unbelievers, persuade Him to go
to the Feast of Tabernacles.
Jesus goes to the Feast secretly, but half way through He starts
preaching. He addresses the hostility He receives for healing on the
Sabbath, pointing out that children are circumcised on the Sabbath to
keep the Law. Therefore healing on the Sabbath is justified.
Application
It has always been an issue for human beings that we can be easily
deceived by appearances. This goes right back to Eve who saw that the
fruit was pleasing to the eye and desirable for gaining wisdom. The
prophet Samuel warned that “Man judges by the outward appearance,
but God looks at the heart.”
This false and deceptive form of judgement is particularly true in
the visual and feelings generation. If it feels good, it must be
right. If somebody speaks passionately they are judged to be correct.
Jesus tells us to stop judging by mere appearances, and instead make
right judgements.
The world tells us to go with our heart, but the Bible tells us the
heart is deceitful above all things.
We must not judge anything or anybody by how they appear, but only
against the Word of God. This is true wisdom.
Prayer
Thank you Lord for your Word which is the true measuring rod for all
things. Help me to not judge by feelings but only by what you say.
Amen.
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the
words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One
of God.”
Observation
Having heard the words about eating Jesus’ body and drinking His
blood, many of Jesus’ disciples start grumbling among themselves.
Jesus responds to this by saying that His words are spirit and life.
This is the reason why people can come to Him by the grace of God.
Many of His followers turn away. Jesus as ks the Twelve, “Aren’t
you going too?” Peter says, “Lord you have the words of eternal
life.”
Application
There are many people who start the christian journey, but fail to
follow through to the end. In this passage, people stop following
Jesus because they are offended by His words.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus tells us there are three broad
reasons why people fail to move on- cares of the world (money,
family, jobs etc), persecution or difficulties in life, and satan
stealing their faith before the word takes root.
The true disciple hangs on through tough times- whether spiritual
battles or physical troubles.
Peter sums it up: “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of
eternal life.”
I don’t always understand why the Lord allows things to happen the
way they do. At times, the Lord feels distant, and I am clinging to
Him out of stubbornness.
But where else would I go? Who else or what else can give has the
ability to give meaning and purpose to my life? Nobody else can give
me eternal life.
So I hang on even when it doesn’t make sense. Eventually I see
things in the right perspective again and it all starts to make
sense- or at least I can trust Him that it makes sense.
Prayer
Where else would we go Lord? To leave you is to turn my back on
eternity. Thank you for the gift of salvation. Please help me to
cling to you when life gets difficult. Amen.
“Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this
bread will live forever.”
Observation
The
Jewish people begin to grumble because Jesus had said, “I am the
bread that comes from heaven.”
Jesus now points out that God gave their forefathers manna from
heaven, but those people all died. If anyone eats from the bread that
Jesus gives, they will live for ever.
The bread is His flesh. To have eternal life we must eat His flesh
and drink His blood.
Application
To a Jew, the idea of cannibalism in any form was abhorrent. This was
the worst form of pagan sacrifice. When Jesus starts teaching that
they must eat His flesh and drink His blood to gain eternal life,
this was deeply offensive.
Of course, Jesus is speaking in symbols here, not literally. He is
referring to the bread and wine of Communion. He is saying that we
must celebrate His death and take that into our being. If we receive
His death in this way, we will receive His life for eternity.
He is also making a distinction between the Old Covenant represented
here by manna, and the New Covenant in which God Himself is our
sustenance.
The Old Covenant was limited in its effectiveness, but the New
Covenant in Christ’s blood is unlimited in its effect.
The ancestors ate the manna, and while it was good for daily food,
they still died. Those who eat the Body of Christ, who feast on him,
are raised to eternal life.
This promise is not just for a limited group of people in a
particular place and time, but for all people from all nations for
all time.
How great is our God!
Prayer
Thank you Father for the gift of eternity. Thank you for the
privilege of living under a better covenant, a covenant in which
Christ is the bread of heaven. Amen.
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me
will never be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be
thirsty.”
Observation
The crowd find Jesus on the other side of the lake. Jesus tells them
they are only looking for Him because of the bread they ate. Jesus
tells them that hey must work for food that endures, not food that
spoils.
He
goes on to tell them that it was not Moses who gave them food from
heaven, but the Father who gives the true bread of heaven.
Jesus
is the bread of life. Anyone who comes to Him will not go hungry or
thirsty. The Father’s will is that everyone who comes to Jesus
will have eternal life.
Application
Jesus is the bread of life. He brings us all that we need for
fulfilment in this life and in eternity.
Every form of physical food is good for a short time. It meets a need
for a while. Soon we find ourselves needing more.
Only Jesus feeds us for eternity. He meets every spiritual need that
we have and will have in the future. When I feed on Him, I know that
He will bring me to eternal life.
It is not just about what happens when I die. It is also about this
life. People get excited about all kinds of fads and fashions. They
think that travelling the world will fix the emptiness inside, or the
latest food trend will fill their need, or playing sport. These
things are temporary and cannot offer any spiritual nourishment.
Jesus gives us true purpose, a true reason for living. He is the
bread of heaven who gives us abundant life.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, fill my spirit. May I look to you and to you alone to be
my food and source of life. Amen.
Then they were willing to take him onto the boat, and immediately the
boat reached the shore where they were heading.
Observation
At evening time the disciples cross the lake in a boat. A storm rises
up and they have to strain to row.
After some time, Jesus comes to them walking on the water. At first
they are terrified, but Jesus tells them not to be afraid. They let
Him on board, and immediately they arrive at their destination.
The next morning, the crowds discover that Jesus and the disciples
are missing, and so they head off to Capernaum by boat.
Application
The disciples find themselves on a boat on the water without Jesus at
night. In John’s gospel the night time represents the world that is
not surrendered to God, that is satan’s realm.
When Jesus comes on to the boat, He immediately calms the storm and
the boat arrives at its destination.
When I try to control my “boat”, that is my life, it all gets
very chaotic. Like the disciples rowing, I can work hard and not make
much progress. Satan will resist me at every turn.
When Christ is on board, my life has purpose and direction, and
satan’s resistance starts to be overcome.
It is not always effortless, even when Christ is steering my boat.
Sometimes it seems that satanic efforts to impede me just increase.
Even so, I need to obey Christ’s command, “Do not be afraid.”
The storm will subside. The boat will arrive at its destination. As
long as Christ is the captain of my life.
Prayer
Thank you Lord for the knowledge that you are in control. Even in the
greatest storm I can know your peace. Help me to surrender control to
you so that I can know your direction and your assurance. Amen.
