Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:25-26 ESV)

The story begins to unfold when the two sisters of Lazarus send word to Jesus that Lazarus is ill. Jesus immediately knew that the illness would not lead to permanent physical death, but that he would be glorified through it. So, he and his disciples wait two days before they leave for Bethany. Upon leaving Jesus said to his disciples, Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. (John 11:15 ESV) Jesus purposefully waited for Lazarus to die so that he could raise him from the dead. His motive was so that his disciples would believe him that God sent him; that he was the Son of God and so the Father and the Son would be glorified (John 11:4, 15, 42). Continue reading →

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:4-6 ESV)

We live in a culture where right and wrong have become increasingly subjective. In an effort to make everyone “feel comfortable” absolute truth has been kicked to the curb in lieu of sentimentalism. Subjectivism has not only established a foothold in the world but in the church as well. The Apostle Paul spoke of our day when he wrote, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4 ESV) Continue reading →

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:4-6 ESV)

The synoptic gospels agree that “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” was John the Baptist (Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3). John the Baptist understood that he was indeed this “voice” when he answered the question posed to him by priests and Levites from Jerusalem (John 1:23). John’s message was one of baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 1:3). He called on people the repent for the Kingdom of God was at hand (Matthew 1:2) He readily confessed that he was not the Christ (John 1:19, 25) and upon seeing Jesus declared, “Behold, the lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29). Continue reading →

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35 ESV)

In reading John 6 we see that the time of the Passover was at hand. Passover, also known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, is celebrated each year by the Jews. The feast is held to commemorate Israel’s exit from Egypt and especially the night God protected them from the plague of the death angel. God commanded the Israelites to eat roasted lamb and unleavened bread on that night along with bitter herbs. It was not by coincidence that Jesus chose the time of this feast to proclaim that he is the Bread of Life. Continue reading →

Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?”. . . Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:53, 58 ESV)

After Jesus made this statement the religious leaders of his day took up stones to kill him. Why did this claim of Jesus make them so indignant? Who did Jesus claim to be?

The bush burned but was not consumed, so Moses went in for a closer look. God called to Moses from the bush and commanded him to go into Egypt and lead Israel out of bondage. Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” (Exodus 3:13-14 ESV) Continue reading →

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”  (John 1:29 ESV)

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:35-36 ESV)

Have you ever wondered why John the Baptist referred to Jesus as the Lamb of God? The Apostle John, in the book of the Revelation, speaks of the Lamb twenty-five to thirty times depending on which translation is used. So, why use a lamb to describe God’s son? Continue reading →