Scripture

Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed.

Observation

Sunday, after the crucifixion, the women go to Jesus’ tomb. The stone has been rolled away from the entrance. Mary Magdalene goes to tell Peter. Peter and John go to the tomb, and they see the linen wrappings. John sees and believes.

Mary looks in the tomb and sees two angels. She asks them where Jesus is. Then Jesus comes up behind her, and she asks Him the same thing.

Jesus says her name, and suddenly she recognises Him. John tells her to go and tell the disciples what she has seen and that He is to ascend to the Father.

Application

They say that seeing is believing. When John and Peter saw the empty tomb, they finally understood what Jesus had meant by his teaching about the resurrection.

It seemed like impossibly good news. The Jesus who had died is now alive.

It is good news because the resurrection validates all that Jesus stands for. It shows that He has overcome sin and death. Because Christ is alive, we can share in His resurrection, and be assured that we will live forever.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the promise of eternal life. This present life is not all that I have, but I shall live with you forever. Nothing in this life can take that away from me. Amen

Scripture

Then Mary took a 12 ounce (300 g) jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.

Observation

Six days before Passover, Jesus comes to Bethany where He had previously raised Lazarus from the dead. Mary, the sister of Lazarus, takes a bottle of expensive perfume. She pours it out over Jesus’ feet and wipes them with her hair. The whole house is filled with the smell of the perfume.

Judas iscariot complains that the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor. It was worth a year’s wages.

But Jesus rebukes Judas. He says Mary has done a beautiful thing, a preparation for his burial.

Application

Reckless devotion to Jesus is never a bad thing.

True worship is demonstrative. Our emotions should show when our hearts are in tune with Jesus. We may not pour out perfume in His honour, but we will want to express our love for Him through song, words, raised hands, dance, or some other way.

True worship will cost us something. Worship is not about mere words, although words are important. It is not about turning up on Sunday.

When we worship from the heart,our attitudes and priorities will change. It is no longer about what we want to do, but about surrendering to God’s will. Our money and time become surrendered to God, and we find ourselves blessed with a generous spirit that wants to give to others and to God’s work.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I love you. Let my whole life be surrendered to worshipping you. Amen.

Scripture

In the beginning the Word already existed;

The Word was with God

And the Word was God

He existed in the beginning with God.

Observation

Before time was, the Word (i.e. Jesus) already existed with God, because He was God. God created everything through the Word.

The Word is the source of life and He is the light.

God sent John the Baptist to tell about Jesus. Jesus is the light who gives light to everyone

The Word, the light, Jesus, came into the world He had created, but people did not recognise Him; in fact they rejected Him. To everyone who accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of god by being reborn.

From Christ we have received blessing upon blessing. No one has ever seen God, but Christ, who is Himself God, and is near the Father’s heart, He has revealed God to us.

Application

Jesus was not born at Christmas, at least not in the sense that this was the start of his existence. No, as the divine Son of God, Jesus has always existed.

We see a man, but He is also God. Divine and human natures come together in one person.

The Word was with God, and He was God. The Son of God was God, but separate from the Father.

Christmas is all about the coming of God into the world. The divine Son of God became the Son of Man to show us how our lives should be lived and to pay the penalty for our sins.

All of this is too big for human minds to fully comprehend. What we can comprehend is that God loves us and desires us to be reconciled to Him.

When we accept that love and receive Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, then we are born again, and we can walk in friendship with God.

Prayer

Lord, you are greater than human minds can fathom. But your love is something we can hold on to and receive by faith. Thank you for loving me and saving me. Amen