John Study 13: 8:1-30

Dear Student of the Word,

Yes, it's a week later and time for your weekly dose from John's gospel.  This week we move into John 8 where we consider the story of the woman caught in adultery and then continue with Jesus discourse on the Temple Mount to the unbelieving Jews.  Jesus was faithful to His mission and purpose regardless of whether or not He got immediate results.  He trusted the Father with what He was doing.  This week I wrote on day-seven of this seven-day study:

v. 26 – Jesus was a faithful and reliable messenger, the one referred to in Proverbs:

Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters (Proverbs 25:13).

Are you a faithful messenger?  Do you deliver the message that God has given you for those around you?  Are you giving testimony and bearing witness to others of God’s goodness in your life?

v. 27 – The Jews did not understand that Jesus was talking about the Father, yet Jesus kept right on talking. That was His mission and that was what He had to do in obedience to the Father.  Can you be so faithful in the face of so much misunderstanding and dullness on the part of your target audience? 

v. 28 – Jesus made a reference to His death that was imminent, then only months away. Many more would see from that point forward the truth of His words and deeds.  This was an act of faith on Jesus’ part, for He had to trust the results for His mission to the Father.  He could not see the results from His ministry at that point in time, yet He remained faithful to the cause and call.  Can you be faithful and not focus on results but on your performance?  That is a difficult thing to do.  Your results may not come until after you’re gone!

I am writing these studies with such faith, for I have no idea of how God will use them.  Yet I have written every day for the last eight years in faith and hope. 

v. 29 – Jesus always did the things that pleased the Father and you and I have the same duty and privilege.  Pleasing God is a theme that runs throughout the New Testament.  Here are a few examples.  Can you find more?

I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God (Philippians 4:18).

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God (1 Timothy 5:14).

{May God] equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen (Hebrews 13:21).

v. 30 – As Jesus preached and taught, many put their faith in Him, just because of what He said. There is that dynamic of the Spirit bearing witness to the truth that I mentioned earlier.  That is still the way that people come to faith in Christ: through His preached word.

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ (Romans 10:14-17).

Are you preaching and teaching the Word?  When and to whom?  Are you discouraged with the results?  If so, then encourage yourself today.  The results are in God’s hands and you can reap an abundant harvest if you don’t give up.

A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing (Proverbs 13:17).

As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. You can write them or find the studies to Corinthians, Colossians, First Timothy, and Matthew's and Mark's gospels on the site where this week's entry is posted. You can also go there to sign up to receive each week's study.

Plus my website archives contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse Bible studies from Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Hebrews and Revelation, along with the unpublished Faith Files.

Download John Study 13

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REVELATION: I need your help. I urgently want to publish my next book, this time a devotional from the book of Revelation. I wrote about this project in my blog last week and encourage you to read what I wrote there. In that post, I explain my urgency in wanting to get it out for people to read. Then please consider if the Lord wants you to help me to restore an important book of the Bible that has been obscured by so many weird interpretations.  If you have any questions about the project, please don't hesitate to contact me.

THE SOPHIA FUND UPDATE: Last week, $110 came in for The Fund and I placed a container in a major restaurant to collect money for The Fund. As I promised, every penny you send is going to feed the poor in Zimbabwe and Kenya (We wired $1000 to Kenya two weeks ago, with another $500 slated to go to Zimbabwe as soon as someone can carry it over for me). Nothing goes to overhead or administration.  Won't you consider helping orphans and widows today?  You can read about my rationale for The Fund here (named after my late mother) that will help feed widows and orphans in Kenya and Zimbabwe. 

Please consider a contribution of at least $5 toward the fund and hopefully more.  You can use the "Chipin" widget on the Monday Memo site to contribute, or go directly to my website to contribute there through PayPal, or send a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA  15221.  Make sure you let me know it is for The Sophia Fund. Don't delay; give today and make a difference in the world.