March 4th - John Chapter 4

Chapter four begins with Jesus having a conversation with a Samaritan woman, in which the woman finds surprising that Jesus, a Jewish man would speak to her. This is a classic example of man's prejudice and hatred toward his fellow man.

Historical background:

In 930 B.C. king Solomon divided the nation of Israel into two nations - Northern Kingdom, also referred to as Israel after 930 B.C., and the Southern Kingdom, also referred to as Judah.

In 722 B.C. the Northern Kingdom fell to the Assyrians, and many Jews were deported to Assyria, and foreigners were brought in to settle the land and help keep the peace. The intermarriage between those foreigners and the remaining Jews resulted in a mixed race, impure in the opinion of Jews who lived in the southern kingdom. Thus, the pure Jews hated this mixed race, called Samaritans , because they felt that their fellow Jews who had intermarried had betrayed their people and nation. Therefore, the Jews would have nothing to do with Samaritans, so this woman finds it odd that Jesus, a Jewish man, would speak to her.

Living water:

Throughout the Old Testament God is referred to as the "Living water" or "Fountain of life". When Jesus refers to himself as "living water" he was claiming to be the Messiah.

Worship:

The woman brings up the fact that Jews say you must worship in Jerusalem and her people say you must worhsip in Samaritan. Jesus tells her the location of worship is not nearly as important as the attitude of worship.

Interesting note:

In this section Jesus reveals himself to two people outside the Jewish people. One is a Samaritan woman and the other is a Roman Official. Both believe in Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus encounter with the woman and the healing of the Official's son were more than favors, Jesus was giving a sign for all people that he was the promised Messiah.

The Official's Faith:

Notice how the official's faith grew. First, he believed enough to walk 20 miles and ask Jesus to help his son. Second, he believed Jesus' assurance that his son would live, and he acted on it. Third, he and his whole family believed in Jesus.

Faith is a gift that grows as we use it.

March 3rd - John chapter three

John 3:16 is the most quoted and known verse in the bible. It is part of a dialog Jesus is having with a Pharisee named Nicodemus. Nicodemus comes to Jesus in secret and ask about eternal life. It is believed that Nicodemus later became a follower of Christ.

The significances of Jesus' words to Nicodemus cannot be overstated. Often people desire to come to God in their own way, and Jesus makes it clear there is only one way to eternal life with God and that is God's way.

Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be spiritually born again. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate from the forbidden tree they died spiritually; meaning they were cut off from God. Therefore, it would stand to reason the only way back to God would be spiritual rebirth. This spiritual rebirth comes through repenting and turning from sin unto Christ.

In today's reading we have recorded Jesus first miracle, changing the water into wine. In our culture we seem to focus too much on the "wine" part and miss the meaning and purpose of this first recorded miracles.

Background

Jesus is one of many guest that has been invited to a wedding. Jewish weddings in the first century were a big event that required months of preparation. It was the host responsibility to provide food and drink for this celebrative ocassion for all his/her guests. Wedding celebrations could last sometimes up to seven days. The host would have to estimate how many guest would be in attendance, how much food and drink they would consume based upon how many days the celebration would last.

In some cases, a host would have to stored up 200 - 300 gallons of wine. This would take months to collect. Here would be the process - the host would have his servants go to his own vineyard pick the grapes, press the grapes to make what we would know as grape juice. If he didn't own his own vineyard he would have his servants go purchase the grapes. He would begin this process usually twelve months in advance. It may take him up to the week of the wedding to collect enough grape juice for his invited guests.

They didn't have perservatives or refrigeration as we do today. So the grape juice collected would in time begin to ferment, the longer it set, the stronger it would ferment. As grape juice naturally ferments it becomes bitter tasting. Fermented grape juice or wine was called vinegar in the first century. He didn't want to start this process any sooner than he had too, because he wanted to serve his guest the best tasting wine. It was vinegar they offered Jesus when he was dying on the cross, fermented grape juice to easy his pain.

At a wedding celebration the host would offer his guest the fresh or newest wine which would not have begun fermentation; and which would taste the best. This way they would only get into the bitter tasting wine (fermented) at the end of the celebration.

Notice what the guest said to the host concerning the water Jesus turned into wine, "You have saved the best until now." It has been argued whether or not the water Jesus turned into wine was fermented, while we were not there and don't know for certain, I conclude based upon the words of the guest it at least tasted like non-fermented wine. My personal conviction is the water turned into wine was not fermented, it was what we call grape juice.

Meaning or purpose of this miracle

With such focus on the wine and whether or not it was fermented we miss the real meaning and purpose of this miracle.

First of all, it was a great insult for a host to run out of wine or food. To run out of food or wine meant someone didn't properly prepare. In most cases, the host would have servants to take care of this detail, which was the case at this wedding.

The servants messed up, they ran out of wine. This was going to cause great embarrassment for the host and the servants would be punished harshly. This was a relationship miracle. Jesus done this miracle to show his love and compassion toward people who have messed up.

Secondly, this was a miracle of nature. Jesus in performing this miracle was demonstrating his power and authority even over nature - he could turn water into wine.

Thirdly, this miracle is a message to you and I that God's best for our lives is "now", not yesterday and not tomorrow.

The Gospel of John

The Gospel of John was written by the disciple John, brother of James, son of Zebedee. John's intended audience was everyone, whereas Matthew wrote for a Jewish audience, Mark for Romans, and Luke for Greeks.

John's focus is to present Jesus as the Son of God. He presents the most powerful case in the Bible for the deity of Christ. This truth is underscored by John in four ways.

First, John emphasizes the preexistence of Christ in chapter one.

Second, John sets forth seven signs (miracles) of Christ's deity ( chapters 1-12):

1. Jesus changes the water into wine

2. Jesus heals the Offical's son

3. Jesus heals a man at a pool

4. Jesus feeds the five thousand

5. Jesus walks on water

6. Jesus heals a man born blind

7. Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead

Third, Jesus made the seven "I am" statement which are references to the Messiah:

1. I am the resurrection

2. I am the bread of life

3. I am the light of the world

4. I am the door

5. I am the good shepherd

6. I am the way, the truth

7. I am the true vine

Fourth, John mentions five witnesses to Jesus indentity as God, the Messiah:

1. John the Baptist

2. God the Father

3. Jesus himself

4. The Bible (Scripture)

5. The work of Jesus

Structural Plan of John's Gospel:

* Incarnation of the Son of God - 1:1 - 18

* Presentation of the Son of God - 1:19 - 4:54

* Opposition to the Son of God - 5:1 - 12:50

* Preparation by the Son of God - 13:1 - 17:26

* Vindication of the Son of God - 18:1 - 21:25

Key Verse in the Gospel of John:

"These (signs) are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God." (20:31)

Key words in the Gospel of John:

Truth, believe, faith, love, light, & word