Josie Time

A Series on New Testament Stories
Lazarus, Mary and Martha
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
John 11:1-44 

[Much of the Bible is made up of stories. Stories about people’s lives, the struggles they faced and their faith, or lack of it. In this series we will be looking at some of those people in the Gospel of John. We’ll try to learn from their stories about who God is, how he worked in their life and how that applies to us today.]

  

Every Tuesday, I pick up my granddaughter at her preschool, take her home to fix her lunch and then take her to her afternoon school. I call this my “Josie time”.

 

We have certain rituals that we do almost every Tuesday. One of them is when I drop her off at her school, I tell the teachers who greet her at the door, “This is Super Josie”! Josie smiles and goes in without saying anything.

 

Here’s a picture of Josie by the door of her preschool classroom. “We choose love”. It’s a good message for children. It’s a good message for adults too. In fact, it was a message that Jesus not only taught, but lived out in his life.

 

¹ Now a man named Lazarus was sick… ³ So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” ⁴ When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” ⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.       NIV

 

Despite his strong feelings for his friends, he waited two days before going! By the time he arrived, Lazarus had died and been buried. When the sisters learned that Jesus was there, Martha ran out to greet him, but Mary stayed back. She may have been too distraught and overcome with grief to do anything but cry.

 

During the dialog between Jesus and Martha, he tells her, “I am the resurrection”. In turn, Martha confesses her belief that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God. Jesus then sends for Mary who is still crying.

 

When Jesus sees her, he is "deeply moved in spirit and troubled”. Overcome with emotion we read the shortest verse in the Bible… “Jesus wept”. Then Jesus follows Mary to the tomb and is again “deeply moved”.

 

It’s in this climactic and highly emotional scene of the story, where Jesus prays to his Father and then calls in a loud voice, “Lazarus come out”! The drama is intense. It’s almost like a Hollywood movie, except its real.

 

⁴⁴ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”            NIV

 

Like my granddaughter’s preschool door, Jesus chose love. He wasn’t a robot without feelings. He loved Lazarus, Martha and Mary and openly showed his feelings for them.

 

What if you or I faced a difficult life situation like the loss of a loved one or a job? Or if we struggled with a mental illness or an addiction? Would Jesus love us? Would he weep for us like he did for Mary and Martha? 

 

Yes. Like Lazarus, who he raised from a physical death, he loves us enough to raise us from our spiritual death of sin. To call us out from our tomb to a resurrection life both here on this earth and later in heaven.

 

Copyright 2023 Joseph B Williams

 

 

 

A Place Called Home

A Series on the Milestones in Jesus’ Life

John 14:1-14

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2014%3A1-14&version=NIV;NLT

 

My wife and I are big Michigan State football fans.

 

She grew up going to the games because her Dad had season tickets. Years later, when we were first married and I was still in school there, we bought season tickets. Then, about twelve years ago, we bought season tickets again and have been going ever since. Needless to say, we live and die with every play.

 

I’m only slightly embarrassed to confess that I also record the games on our DVR. Then, sometime during the following week, I watch it again. Only the second time is without stress. It doesn’t matter how many first downs we give up, turnovers we commit, opportunities we miss or points our opponents score; because I already know the final outcome.

 

The same must have been true for Jesus’ disciples after his resurrection. We know that they faced extremely difficult times with many of them ending their life as martyrs. What kept them focused during such extreme persecution? How did they handle the stress?

 

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. ² There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? ³ When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.   NLT

 

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples before he was crucified. When Jesus fulfills this promise, it will be an amazing milestone. Following his ascension, Jesus’ disciples could securely rest in his promise to return for them. The Good News for us is that his words still hold true today.

 

When life is difficult; when you are experiencing pain and suffering; when a loved one suddenly dies or you lose your job or feel rejected or are struck down with a critical illness; you already know the final outcome. You know that Jesus is preparing a place for you to join him.

 

It’s a place called home.

 

 

 

 

Show Me

A Series on the Milestones in Jesus’ Life

John 20

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2020&version=NIV;NLT

  

Missouri is the “show me state”! Legend has it that in 1899, Missouri's U.S. Congressman, Willard Duncan Vandiver, gave a speech at a naval banquet in Philadelphia where he declared, "I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats. Frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me."

 

The disciples were the same way. When Jesus did miracles, the disciples were standing right there; watching. But they didn’t see Jesus reach the milestone when he rose from the dead. As a result, when they heard about it they said, “Show me”.

 

The women, after finding the empty tomb, told the disciples about their discovery. Instead of believing them, Peter and John ran to the tomb to see for themselves; as if to say, “Show me”.

 

The biggest doubter of all was Thomas. “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Again, show me!

 

Stubbornness and doubt are a part of human nature. People want to see for themselves before they believe. Jesus knew this would hold his disciples back. So he decided on a more direct approach.

 

Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”       NIV

²¹ Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” ²² And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.            NIV

 

Jesus sent his disciples in the power of the Holy Spirit. At this point, they didn’t respond anymore by saying, “Show me”. They just went.

 

How will you respond to the risen Christ? Will you say, “Show me”? Or will you say, “Here am I Lord. Send me”?

 

 

 

The Greatest Change Agent Ever

1 Corinthians 15:50-57

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2015%3A50-57&version=NIV;MSG

 

Change is not easy for most people. It can take us out of our comfort zone. Even the smallest change can be disruptive. As a result, we resist change because the status quo is safer. We know what to expect. We have more control of our world when everything remains the same.

 

So what does it take for us to change? To get some idea of how to answer this question, here are the first three steps of Celebrate Recovery, a Christian twelve step program that specializes in change.

 

1. We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable. 

2. We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God.

 

These steps tell us that in order to change requires reaching the bottom. When that happens you realize that your life is out of control; that you are powerless; that you can’t change on your own. Finally, you understand that you need the greatest change agent ever, Jesus Christ.

 

Eugene Peterson in The Message, paraphrased that change agent in Matthew 5:3-4.



 

³ “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

⁴ “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

 

 

 

This is from the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus is speaking to common people; not to folks in a twelve step program. He’s telling them that in order to change, you have to hit bottom in some sense. Otherwise, there is no need for Jesus.

 

Today’s passage is about when Jesus brings us home with our resurrected body. From then on, there is no sting from death nor struggle with sin. Only the joy of living life as it was meant to be; living in the presence of our Creator.

 

Jesus is the greatest change agent ever. He specializes in taking us home. Thanks be to God.

 

 

Hope Springs Eternal

1 Corinthians 15:35-49

(This is the first of two devotionals on this passage.)

 

 

Hope! Can you feel it? There is something about the human spirit that wants to hope; needs to hope. As the saying goes, “Hope springs eternal”.

 

Every year the loyal fans of the snake bit Cleveland Browns hope for a championship. We hope that the rain will finally stop and the sun will come out. We hope that our boss will give us that raise. We hope that our kids excel in school. We hope that life will be wonderful, full of happiness and laughter. Hope springs eternal.

 

And yet we live in a dying world. A baby is born, lives for a lifetime and dies. Like taxes, it’s inevitable. Ever since Adam and Eve made that fateful decision in the Garden, death has had the final word… until Jesus.

 

Jesus was raised from the dead and promised that he would return for us. Not only did Jesus promise to return for us, but Paul tells us that we will receive new bodies.

 

“…Our earthly bodies which die and decay are different from the bodies we shall have when we come back to life again, for they will never die... they will be full of glory when we come back to life again… they will be full of strength... they will be superhuman bodies.”        Vs. 42-44

 

When people hope for good weather or good fortune or for their favorite sports team;

they are really wishing. It’s just like rubbing a bottle in hopes that a jeannie will grant your wishes. But the hope that we have in Jesus returning and bringing us home with resurrected bodies is more than a wish. It’s a promise.

 

Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled. You are trusting God, now trust in Me. There are many homes up there where my Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready, then I will come and get you, so that you can always be with Me where I am”.             John 14:1-3

 

Because of this promise, even in the midst of hopelessness, there is hope. Even in the midst of difficult times, there is hope. Even in the midst of failure, there is hope. Hope springs eternal, not because of a jeannie in a bottle, but because of a Savior who was raised from the dead, and will return to bring us home in new bodies.

 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20corinthians%2015%3A35-49&version=NIV;TLB