Have you ever with someone who completely missed the point of a story or event?  It seems that often the Pharisees miss the point.  They are so concerned about losing power and influence to Jesus that they miss the fact that the Messiah, the Son of God is doing amazing things in their midst.  Let’s look together at their reaction right after Jesus uses mud to heal a man born blind found in John 9.

Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” 18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” 20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” 25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” 26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?” 28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

The Pharisees so badly want Jesus to be wrong, to be guilty that they miss the thing that is obvious to the uneducated man who was born blind.  The blind man knows that this man obviously comes from God or He could do nothing.  Sometimes I wonder if we also can get distracted by our own agenda and what we have going on in life and miss the things that Jesus is trying to tell and show to us. My prayer for myself and for all of us is that we would have the eyes of the man born blind.  That we would recognize Jesus and how He is leading, guiding, and directing us.  We would see Him and follow Him.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever found yourself amazed at the different ways that God works in your life?  Sometimes He simply blesses us.  Sometimes He leads us through challenging times that end up working for our good and strength.  Sometimes we are pushed into situations that we would never go on our own that build us up.  Jesus does the same type of thing during His time on earth.  Sometimes He heals with a word.  Other times He has others get involved in their own healing.  Once He healed simply by being touched by a woman.  Today I’d like to look at a story of when He made mud patties to heal a man from John 9.  Let’s read the account together today.

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. 8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” 10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. 11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” 12 “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said.

Whatever way Jesus chooses to work in our lives He always has a reason.  The reason is not always obvious in fact sometimes in the midst of God working it can feel like a burden.  The one thing we can trust is that God is always at work.  God may lead us in places we don’t want to go and through experiences that we never wanted.  The important thing is that HE is leading and WE are following.  When we follow where God is leading no matter what we may face we are always in the right place.  I can only imagine what this man thought when Jesus put mud on his eyes. I’m sure his thoughts changed pretty quickly when he washed off the muds and could see for the first time ever.  God may bring you through the mud in life but He always brings you through the mud to whatever waits on the other side. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever thought of your self as a slave?  A slave to your passions and desires.  The Bible uses this language often but also talks about the freedom that we can experience through Jesus.  Let’s look together at what Jesus says about this in John 9.

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” 34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Our freedom from sin according to Jesus comes from embracing the truth and from the freedom that Jesus offers us.  The problem is that while we are free sometimes we still act as though we are slaves to sin.  We are freed slaves who run right back into slavery.   Jesus reminds us in this passage that by holding onto the truth we can be set free.  The truth is that Jesus is better than anything the world can offer us.  Better than pleasure.  Better than success.  Better than wealth or fame.  Jesus is better than everything.  When we hold on to that truth and hold on to Jesus we become truly free.  I pray that we would all rest in our freedom in Jesus today and each day. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

I have always loved the story found in John 8 of the women caught in adultery.  Most Bibles explain that this story is not found in some early Biblical manuscripts.  Perhaps it is a story that was remembered later and certainly it fits the character and nature of Jesus.  Let’s take a look at it together today. 

At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Of course one of everyone’s first questions is what did Jesus write in the ground.  The religious leaders who brought the woman were not interested in the law or in justice they simply wanted to test Jesus.  After all where is the man in this situation that she was caught with? Jesus seemingly ignores them and draws or writes in the sand.  When they press the issue He asks those without sin to cast the first stone.  Then He goes right back to writing in the dirt.  I think the point is that He doesn’t ignore her sin He simply extends her grace.  He offers her grace and tells her to go and leave her life of sin.  It’s the same offer He gives to us all.  That’s what Jesus does.  While sin is a serious matter to God, His grace is always bigger than our sin.  Jesus offers us His amazing grace and offers us a better way to live.  A life where we find out satisfaction in Him and not in sin.  I pray that we would all experience God’s amazing grace and live and rest in His offer of freedom from sin. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Jesus’ public ministry was met with all different kinds of reactions.  Some were amazed and believed.  Many were curious.  Some followed until things got tough.  Some were directly opposed to Him.  Let’s look at some of the different reactions as Jesus goes to the Festival of Tabernacles and teaches.

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? 42 Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” 43 Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. 44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him. 45 Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”46 “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied. 47 “You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. 48 “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49 No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.” 50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51 “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” 52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”

Today people still have a variety of reactions to Jesus.  Some appreciate His teaching but aren’t willing to follow Him.  Others just think He was an interesting historical figure.  Others reject Him completely.  As followers of Jesus we are called to embrace Him and His way of life fully.  Sometimes others biggest stumbling block to embracing Jesus is what they think of His followers.  This was true during Jesus’ day as well.  People were put off by the “sinners” that Jesus had around Him.  We are called to be people who love our neighbors well.  When we do that and when we live the kind of lives that Jesus calls us to people are drawn to Jesus instead of put off by Him.  I pray that by God’s grace we would live such lives of love that others would want part of the life we have in Jesus.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever been hungry?  I mean really hungry. Have you ever thought about the fact that we were all made with a spiritual hunger as well?  We have a God shaped void in all of our lives that is only filled with a relationship with Him.  Shortly after Jesus feeds the 5,000 He talks about this.  Let’s look at the account together in John 6.

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” 28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”… Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

When you eat to satisfy your hunger in a few hours you experience hunger once again.  Jesus reminds us that when we fill our spiritual hunger with Him we will never hunger again.  We sometimes chase after other things to “fill” us but Jesus is the answer for all time.  When we constantly fill ourselves with Jesus we remain full.  It’s only when we chase after other things, power pleasure, success, wealth, etc. that we end up unsatisfied.  Fill yourself with Jesus today and every day and you will never be hungry again.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

Sometimes I wonder what was going through the minds of the disciples at times.  They have just witnessed Jesus feeding 5,000 people with a few fish and some bread and there are more leftovers than what they started with.  Then He goes off to pray and they jump in a boat and head off to Capernaum.  They don’t wait for Jesus I guess they just figure that He will get there somehow.  Let’s pick up the story there in John 6.

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. 22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. 23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

First of all three to four miles is a long way by rowing a boat but it is even longer when you are walking on water.  Somehow Jesus catches up to them and then when He gets in the boat the Scripture says they were immediately at the shore on the other side.  I wish I knew a little bit more about those miracles.  I hate how slow travel is at times and would love to arrive places immediately.  The disciples must have been amazed after this series of events.  The crowds were amazed as well but they weren’t the first hand witnesses that the disciples were.  The thing about amazing events is that when you experience one you want to talk about it.  I’m sure the disciples were motivated to tell others about Jesus because of what they had experienced.  The question for us is what have we experienced of Jesus?  When we experience His love and grace and goodness we want to share that as well.  Today spend time reflecting on just how amazing Jesus has been in your life and then tell someone about it.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

Food has always been a great motivator.  I can be persuaded to do any number of difficult things for some good food.  Even better than working for food is when it is just there, freely offered.  Jesus does a lot of amazing miracles but it’s interesting  that when He feeds people that is when they try to make Him King by force.  Let’s  look at the feeding of the 5,000 found in John 6.

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages  to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. 14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

It is very interesting to me to look at the miracles that Jesus performs.  We certainly don’t know all that He did, but the ones that He does perform are telling to us.  Jesus could have easily sent these people home for food or allowed them to experience a bit of hunger.  He decides that He wants to feed them.  There is something significant about someone providing food for you when you are hungry.  Later in this chapter He will talk about how He feeds our spiritual hunger and perhaps that is the whole point of this.  I think that He really just wanted to provide a meal for the people.  I’m sure they remembered this experience for the rest of their lives told their family and friends and I’m sure that many eventually became part of the early church and followers of Jesus.  Sharing a meal can have a powerful impact.  Think about who God may be calling you to share a meal with.  Perhaps there is an opportunity for you to share a meal with a friend or neighbor and share the love of Christ with them as well.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

In John 5 Jesus heals a man who has been crippled for 38 years at the pool of Bethesda.  The day this occurs on happens to be the Sabbath and the religious leaders are furious at Jesus.  His response is to make His boldest public statements yet about His identity which just further infuriates them.  Let’s look at the passage in John 5 together today.  

16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. 24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.

There are times in life where it is important to follow the Biblical mandate, to as much as possible do your best to live at peace with everyone.  There are other times, such as this one in the life of Jesus, where it is important to be bold for God.  Often I find that we have a tendency to get these times confused and backwards.  We often boldly and aggressively defend our positions on our opinions.  Issues where people that also love Jesus disagree about how to worship, politics, opinions about how to best live in our short time on earth etc.  can often lead to dissension and division.  Yet on issues that matter for eternity often we remain silent.  This is the opposite of what Jesus and the Bible tell us.  Jesus boldly confronted the Pharisees and religious leaders because He knew that the path they were heading down and leading other to actually led them away from a relationship with God.  Interestingly enough He doesn’t seem to tell them that the law is bad or wrong.  In fact in the sermon on the mount He makes the standards tougher.  He points people to a need for a relationship with God through Him instead of religious rules.  He does this boldly just as He calls us to do.  There are times when we are called to be bold for Jesus.  I pray that we would all be granted the wisdom to be bold when we need to be bold and meek when we should be meek.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave