Scripture

“Ever since the world began, no one has ever been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.”

Observation

Jesus comes across a man who was born blind. His disciples ask who sinned to cause this to happen. Jesus replies that it is for God’s glory, and proceeds to restore the man’s sight.

There is some doubt about whether this man is the same beggar, but he keeps testifying “I am the one.”

The Pharisees get involved. They conclude that Jesus could not have done this because He is a sinner. The man responds by saying, “God doesn’t listen to sinners, yet Jesus healed my sight. He couldn’t have done this if He were not from God.”

Application

The healing of someone born blind was a miracle that people believed only the Messiah could perform. In the investigation into this matter, every alternative explanation is explored. Even when it is clear that the man born blind is healed, the Pharisees could not accept that Jesus is the Messiah because they had already labelled Him a sinner.

The man’s testimony is vital in this narrative. Nobody has healed a man born blind, and certainly a sinner could not do this. Jesus must be who He claims to be, even if the Pharisees don’t like it.

God often comes to us in ways that are surprising or that defy our understanding. Maybe we don’t like the person who prays for healing for us. Maybe a prophetic word is delivered in a way we find offensive.

Sometimes God answers prayer in a way that we don’t expect, and we find it hard to see how this could be His work.

Always we need to look beyond circumstances and past our prejudices. God appears to us in surprising ways because He is bigger and smarter than we are!

Prayer

Lord, thank you for every answered prayer and every God encounter, even when they don’t look the way I expect. Amen.

Scripture

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teaching. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Observation

Jesus continues to teach the crowds at the Temple. He tells them that because they are from below and belong to this world, they will die in their sins.

The people do not understand who Jesus is or what He is saying to them. He tells them that when they see Him lifted up on the cross, then they will know that He is the one sent by the Father.

Everyone who sins is a slave to sin, and many of those who claim to be children of Abraham are in fact children of the devil.

Application

The true disciple of Jesus is the one who remains faithful to His teachings. Saying a prayer or going to church will not save you. You must be born again in such a way that your life reflects the teachings and the lifestyle of Jesus.

A true disciple walks the walk as well as talking the talk.

As we grow in faithfulness to Jesus, we will increasingly know the truth that sets us free.

There are two aspects to this word truth.

Firstly there is truth in respect to doctrine and scripture. As we live out the path of discipleship, we will gain greater insight into who God is and what the Bible teaches.

Secondly, Jesus is the Truth. He says, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” So as we determine to walk with Jesus we get to know Him better, and He is the Truth.

The truth sets us free. True religion s about freedom from guilt and shame. True religion sets us free from meaningless rituals based on fear of an angry God. Jesus Christ has set us free from all guilt, shame and fear.

Prayer

Thank you Jesus, you are the truth that sets me free. Help me to walk in your ways every day so that the truth of who you are opens up in me. Amen.

Scripture

“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.

Scripture

“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.

Scripture

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.

Scripture

“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.

Scripture

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.

Scripture

“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.

Scripture

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.