Why Did Jesus Say That?

For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative; I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father John 10:17-18

INTRO: In another week, our government will ask us to cast our vote in the presidential election

If we can get past our pet issues and campaign promises, in a quiet moment we might ask ourselves
“Of the two main candidates, which one really knows and cares about me?”
– like the pressure I feel when I come home to a stack of bills on the counter?
• or when my friend or child can’t find job that pays enough to cover rent?
• and I don’t make enough to be able to help?

Of course, the election is not about me
– and neither is it about the millions of people like me
• its about economics, national policies, foreign affairs, and giant corporations
– still, the candidates are trying to make it sound like the election is about me
• but neither candidate has any idea of what my life is like
• their children will never face trying to support a family of five on $15.00 an hour
• they’ll never feel the pressures that their signature will place on me

As for myself, I represent a class of spiritual leaders
-do we have a better understanding or greater empathy for the average person? Continue reading →

Why Did Jesus Say That?

And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind” John 9:39

INTRO: Barbara’s mom used to say,
“I’m a black and white person. I’m not one of those mercy people.”
– it was true, that she tended to have a narrow, rigid standard regarding right and wrong
– but it wasn’t completely true
• there was too much of Jesus in her — at times the mercy she showed others was remarkable

The tension in this story is between “right and wrong” people and the “mercy” Person
– the question raised here is, Can the Pharisee’s religion accommodate Jesus?

The Pharisees depicted in the gospels are a caricature

What we usually encounter are the worst examples
– there are exceptions, like Nicodemus – but they’re rare

Why do the gospels paint these pictures of the Pharisees and include them in Jesus’ story?
– they perfectly reveal what humans normally do with religion
• reduce it to moral rules, then use those rules to justify selves and condemn others Continue reading →

Why Did Jesus Say That?

And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.” John 8:23

INTRO: Chapter 8 begins with a story almost everyone loves
Jesus is sitting in the temple teaching, when a woman is dragged in
– she committed adultery and had been “caught in the act”
• they asked Jesus to render a verdict against her
– at first he ignored them – then he wrote (or drew) on the ground
• finally he sat up, and spoke the famous line, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (v. 7)
– after they filed out, he asked the woman,

“Where are they? Did no one condemn you” and she had answered, “No one, Lord,” He said, “I do not condemn you either. Go. From now on sin no more.”

This story is connected with the rest of the chapter in several ways:

1. It ties a ribbon around the chapter (inclusio) – the theme of stoning, here and in v. 59
2. It introduces the theme of sin (important here and in chapter 9)
3. Jesus is pressured into assuming the role of being a judge — then he is judged, but quickly turns the tables and becomes the judge
4. Less obvious is the up and down theme in this chapter (above/below) when Jesus “stooped down” and “straightened up”
   – when down, he ignored them – sitting up, he answered them
   – Jesus does not belong to what is down or below and his answers come from above (v. 26) Continue reading →

Why Did Jesus Say That?

As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” John 6:53-66

INTRO: The question we have been asking is, “Why did Jesus say that?”

This episode began with the famous miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fish to feed a crowd of five thousand
– immediately afterward, the crowd decided they wanted Jesus
• more accurately, they wanted what he could do for them
– when Jesus saw they intended to “take him by force and make Him king,”
• he escaped,  but they chased him
– when they caught up to him, he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum
• the first words out of his mouth, were that they had come to him for the wrong reason

The dialogue that followed has similarities to Jesus’ dialogue with the Samaritan woman

They were angling for more bread (vv. 30-31)
– “living water” (ch. 4) and “living bread” (here)
– woman, “Sir [kyrie], give me this water …,” “Lord [kyrie], always give us this bread”

She made reference to their “fathers” and Jesus came back with “the Father”
– same here, vv. 31-32, 57-58

But this dialogue has the opposite outcome Continue reading →

Why Did Jesus Say That?

Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about” John 4:31-32

INTRO: We’re going through John’s gospel, picking out statements and asking, “Why did Jesus say that?”

In this instance, it had been a long day and Jesus had walked many miles
– so he rested near a well while the disciples went to buy food
• when they returned, they encouraged him to eat
• instead he told them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about”
– why did Jesus say that?

We have to know what happened while disciples were gone

A woman–one of the locals–had come to draw water,
– which is suspicious – women didn’t go to the well alone or at that hour of the day Continue reading →

Why Did Jesus Say That?

Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

INTRO: I have always assumed Nicodemus came to Jesus in a home
But it’s more likely, Jesus was staying on the Mt. of Olives
– sitting on rock or bundle of clothing, their faces illuminated by the campfire,
• these two teachers opposite each other in conversation
– John tells us they met at night – this is not a simple observation or insignificant detail
• G. Campbell Morgan, generously of Nicodemus, that he “wanted Jesus all to himself”
• but John uses time and place symbolically – e.g., 13:30 “and it was night”
○ he connects night with darkness and both with being lost and stumbling around (vv. 19-21)
But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him (Jn. 11:10)
○ at the very least, John indicates that Nicodemus was in the dark — unenlightened

Nicodemus begins the conversation:

Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with Him (v. 2)

He acknowledges Jesus as a teacher
– two weeks ago when Philip called Jesus, “Rabbi,” we saw it as a clue–he wanted to become a disciple
– Nicodemus, “You may look like a rustic Galilean, Jesus, but we know You’ve come from God”
• a statement, not a question – but he leaves it hanging in the air
– the implied question: “Obviously You’re from God, so what is You’re message?” Continue reading →

Why Did Jesus Say That?

They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?” He said to them, “Come and see” John 1:38-39

INTRO: For the next few weeks, we’re going to look at some of the statements Jesus made and ask, “Why did Jesus say that?”

I’m not concerned with producing the best rational answer to fit the context and so on
– I’m looking for a personal answer and if possible to see inside the Lord’s head and heart
– taking what we know about Jesus and using our imagination, we will seek to understand him
• we won’t be trying to discover doctrines, but to get to know Jesus

To help make our study more manageable, we’ll stick with the Gospel of John

So . . ., Why did Jesus tell the two disciples of John the B, “Come and see”?

It will be helpful to learn how John sets up this story Continue reading →

The King of the Kingdom

They went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach. They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Mark 1:21-22

INTRO: Have you reminded yourself this week, “The kingdom is at hand?”

[Pause, crickets chirp, preacher is disappointed, but he goes on]

It occurred to me that a good follow up to last week would be to meditate on the the King of the kingdom
– but I immediately I resisted the thought
– there are some subjects I try avoid, because they have been cluttered with so much nonsense
• a case in point is “spiritual warfare”
• elaborations have resulted in exaggerations to the point that biblical truth has been buried and lost

However, something came up on Monday that caused me to change my mind

Mark focuses attention on people’s reaction to Jesus’ teaching

He doesn’t give any explanation why Jesus was allowed to teach in the synagogue
– I imagine people coming in and asking, “Who is that guy? Why is he talking?”
• he came without credentials or recommendations
– but after hearing a few words from his mouth, they were amazed
• they recognized the voice of authority and the ring of truth
• Jesus didn’t need to present airtight arguments or play on their emotions with sentimental stories

When there was a sudden and explosive interruption, they witnessed another dimension of his authority
– his words were not only true, they were powerful

Mark continues to develop the theme of Jesus’ authority
– “the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Mk. 3:10)
– Mark doesn’t always use the word, “authority,” but it is obvious in his statement about being, “Lord of the Sabbath” (2:28) and in his actions when, “even the wind and the sea obey Him” (4:41)

What we see in the early chapters of Mark is the kingdom of God advancing in the world
– it enters and takes over one domain after another
• illness, spirits, sin and guilt, wind and waves
– Jesus is bringing his kingdom into every human situation and every situation is changed

Many years ago, a family told me God wanted them to be missionaries

Later, they sold everything, moved to Costa Rica, and went through language school
– within a couple of years, they started a church in a small mountain village
– after some time, they wrote me to ask if I knew of any good books on spiritual warfare?
• they explained that they’d found something hidden in their home
• locals told them it was a hex and that someone had put a curse on them
– nothing in their previous Christian experience had prepared them for this Continue reading →

The kingdom of God is at hand

Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15

INTRO: When we resume our Thursday night meetings in September,

We will start working our way through Jesus’ parables
– specifically, the ones that elucidate his teaching regarding the kingdom of God
– it was Barbara’s suggestion that I use this morning to provide an introduction to that topic

The Bible’s Overarching Story

There are a few stories in the Bible where everything works the way they should
– Esther is an example of this
• in the end, bad guys hang on their own gallows and the good guys rule the empire
– in Daniel, too, the various episodes turn out as we would hope
• believers who stay true to God cannot be roasted or devoured while their enemies end up as ashes or grime between the claws and teeth of lions

These snapshots show us how circumstances are resolved in a world where God is in charge
– there’s a reason these stories appeal to us
– they turn out exactly the way we would expect if God constantly intervened in human affairs

But when we come to the life of Jesus, the story is messed up — the Son of God should not be tortured to death on a cross
– we see the world not as it should be, but as it is
• people have taken control of the plot, and announced, “We do not want this man to reign over us” (Lk. 19:14) Continue reading →